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Manmohan Singh was not a “weak” Prime Minister but for some “strange reasons” he decided not to assert himself during the second term of the UPA government, Congress leader Manish Tewari said on Monday.
In a huge blow to BJP leaders, the Supreme Court on Monday indicated it may consider reviving the conspiracy charge against them in the December 6, 1992 Babri Masjid demolition case. The sudden development came on an appeal filed in the Supreme Court by the CBI in 2011, during the UPA era, against the dropping of the conspiracy charge against L.K. Advani and other leaders such as Uma Bharti, Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi, Vinay Katiyar, Sadvi Ritambara, Giriraj Kishore and Vishnu Hari Dalmia.
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Medanta’s air ambulance crashlands, pilot killed GURUGRAM
The pilot of an air ambulance of Medanta Hospital was killed after the aircraft caught ire and crashlanded near Bangkok. Two of the four other members on board sustained serious injuries. The deceased pilot has been identiied as Arunaksha Nandy. 쑺 PAGE 10
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Miscreants break mirrors at Chittorgarh Fort JAIPUR
A group of miscreants shattered mirrors in the Padmini Palace inside the 13th century Chittorgarh Fort of Rajasthan claiming that the mirrors misrepresent the story of Queen Padmini. NORTH
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Allows CBI to ile supplementary charge sheet by including the conspiracy charge
‘Manmohan didn’t assert himself during UPA-11’
NEWS
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Babri case: SC questions discharge of Advani, others
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Modi blitz in Varanasi as campaigning ends Last phase of polling in U.P. to be held tomorrow Omar Rashid VARANASI
‘Something peculiar’ Noting that “there is something very peculiar going on in this case” , a Bench of Justices Pinaki Chandra Ghose and Rohinton F. Nariman said it would examine in detail why the conspiracy charge was dropped on mere technical grounds and never revived all these years. “We prima facie do not approve of the way these people have been discharged... And no additional charge sheet filed so far?
See, people cannot be discharged like this on technical grounds,” Justice Nariman observed orally. Justice Nariman said: “We will allow you [CBI] to file supplementary charge sheet by including the conspiracy charge. We will ask the trial court to conduct a joint trial in a Lucknow court.” The CBI, represented by Additional Solicitor General Neeraj Kishan Kaul, seemed to agree with the court’s observations and submitted that a joint trial should be conducted. “This is what we want,” Mr. Kaul submitted.
‘Pakistan-based groups were behind 2008 Mumbai attacks’
However, Mr. Advani’s counsel and senior advocate K.K. Venugopal strongly objected to the turn of events and argued that the conspiracy charge against Mr. Advani and other leaders was already dropped, and its revival would mean the re-examination of the 186 witnesses who had deposed in the case.
‘Inordinate delay’ Mr. Venugopal pointed out that the CBI had appealed in the Supreme Court after an inordinate delay. But the Bench remained firm, saying it would choose
to even condone the delay and hear the case on March 22, 2017. The Babri Masjid demolition case stemmed from two crime files: Crime No: 197/ 1992 and Crime No: 198/ 1992. Both were filed shortly after the disputed structure of Babri Masjid was demolished on December 6, 1992. Crime no. 197/1992 was registered in the Ayodhya Police Station against “lakhs of unknown kar sevaks.” This FIR dealt with the actual demolition of the masjid. CONTINUED ON 쑺 PAGE 10
Campaigning for the seventh and last phase of the highstake 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections drew to a close on Monday with each of the contenders predicting an overall lead in the 403seat Assembly. That Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluded his campaign in Varanasi hints at the fact that securing a clean sweep in his constituency matters as much as winning the State. Mr. Modi campaigned in Varanasi for three consecutive days. After addressing two public meetings in the heart of the city and holding two massive road shows over the weekend, on Monday he convened a rally in Rohaniya, a largely rural constituency, around 20 km from the temple town. Continuing his symbolic overtures, after paying obeisance at the Hindu shrines of Kashi Vishwanath and Kal Bhairao temples, Mr. Modi wrapped up his Varanasi tour with a visit to the Gadwaghat Ashram, revered by Yadavs, before paying tribute to former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri at his birthplace in Ramnagar.
Narendra Modi paying tribute to Lal Bahadur Shastri at his parental house in Ramnagar on Monday. RAJEEV BHATT
Incumbent Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav also had a busy last day of campaigning — addressing seven back-toback rallies in Jaunpur, which abuts Varanasi. For Mr. Yadav, the election is also a personal challenge, as he stepped out from his father’s shadow and reconstructed his image to emerge as the supreme leader of the party. Polling for the final 40 seats will be held on Wednesday [another seat in Ambedkarnagar will vote on Thursday as one of the can-
didates had died during election]. The districts are Ghazipur, Varanasi, Mirzapur, Bhadohi, Sonbhadra, Jaunpur and Chandauli. In the last phase, the SP is fighting 31 seats, while its ally, Congress, is contesting nine. The BJP is fighting 32, leaving eight for its allies, while the BSP is fighting all 40. A total 1.4 crore people will decide the fate of 535 candidates. MODI STEERS BJP IN HIGH-STAKES POLLS 쑺 PAGE 11
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Former NSA Durrani, however, says govt., ISI not involved Dinakar Peri NEW DELHI
The Mumbai attacks of 2008 were carried out by terror groups based in Pakistan, former Pakistani National Security Adviser Maj. Gen. (retd) Mahmud Ali Durrani said on Monday. “But the government of Pakistan or the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) was not involved. I am 110% sure of it,” he said at the 19th edition of the Asian Security Conference on ‘Combating Terrorism: Evolving an Asian Response,’ organised by the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses. In 2009, Maj. Gen. Durrani was sacked from the post of NSA after he called for action against those re-
Mahmud Ali Durrani
sponsible for the Mumbai attacks. Responding to questions on the Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief, Mr. Durrani said Hafiz Saeed had no utility for Pakistan. “He should be punished.” India has repeatedly sub-
mitted proof of Mr. Saeed’s role in the Mumbai attacks and has called for action by Pakistan. However, Pakistan has maintained that there was no “concrete evidence” against him. Delivering the inaugural address at the conference, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said terrorism was the single biggest threat to international peace and security. India, he said, would continue to work tirelessly for a cohesive global response. He reminded the audience that India had first submitted a resolution in the United Nations for a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) way back in 1996. CONTINUED ON 쑺 PAGE 10
Woman’s death exposes abortion racket in Sangli Police retrieve 19 female foetuses from drain near a clinic
Season’s irst: Dark clouds gather over the seafront in Kochi as the irst of summer showers hit the city on Monday morning. Kerala experienced widespread rain during the day. H. VIBHU CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
Kolkata’s ‘barefoot’ doc who treats poor, refugees for free British doctor started with a roadside clinic, was deported from Bangladesh and jailed in Bengal for medical volunteers to help war victims and refugees affected by the 1971 war, he packed his bags and left England. Throwing himself headlong into it, he started offering free treatments to the poor and the refugees there. However, even as he did so he sniffed a childtrafficking racket, resulting in his deportation from Bangladesh.
Indrani Dutta Kolkata
Shoumojit Banerjee Pune
Police retrieved 19 aborted female foetuses from a sewer in a village in western Maharashtra’s Sangli district, uncovering an illicit abortion racket in a private clinic in Mhaisal village. The police, probing the death of a woman after a botched illegal abortion, on Sunday discovered the abandoned foetuses in blue plastic bags a few yards away from the clinic.
The police searching the clinic in Mhaisal village in Sangli district of Maharashtra. SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Wife involved? The private clinic, named Bharati Hospital, is run by one Babasaheb Khidrapure, where 26-year-old Swati Jamdade died on March 3. The doctor and an accomplice allegedly ran this racket. Mr. Khidrapure’s wife is suspected to have been involved as well. The doctor, who holds a Bachelor’s degree in ho-
moeopathy, is absconding, Sangli’s Superintendent of Police Dattatray Shinde said. Health officials from the district headquarters descended on Mhaisal on Monday, questioning Mr. Khidrapure’s dubious medical antecedents. Villagers said the clinic had been in operation for nearly a decade.
CM YK
Speaking to The Hindu, Mr. Shinde said the police had constituted five teams to nab the doctor. “At present, we are grilling the compounder about the nature of the illicit abortion racket, which we believe has been going on for over two months now,” he said. CONTINUED ON 쑺 PAGE 10
There was nothing on his wrinkled face or in his demeanour, to give an inkling of the remarkable life that he has led over the past four decades. Age has withered him, but has not broken the indomitable spirit of this octogenarian. Dressed carelessly, he stood with just a little stoop, talking affably, shaking hands with people whose paths have crossed his. After about half-an-hour, he had to be coaxed to take his seat at an auditorium, where a film on him was about to be shown. Meet Dr Jack Preger, a 86-year ‘barefoot’ doctor from the UK who acquired his medical degree in his 40s after feeling ‘an inner urge.’ Till then, he was happy working on his farm in Wales. Yet his life since then has been anything but a bed of
Jack Preger, 86-year ‘barefoot’ doctor, has survived many ordeals -- learning some valuable life-lessons.
roses. Actually, it reads almost like a film-script, which has now been documented in celluloid ‘Doctor Jack - One Man, One Life One fight,’ by Benoit Lange a Swiss photojournalist. It was previewed here recently. Dr Preger has been hounded by locals while trying to treat the poor for free, through pavement-
clinics. He has faced deportation from one country and been jailed in another. “I have stayed in servant quarters” he says, reminiscing his early days here. But he has survived these ordeals -- learning some valuable life-lessons. His journey as a doctor began with the Bangladesh war when, following a call
Roadside clinic Dropping anchor in Kolkata he joined Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity which he left later. He began by running a free roadside clinic in Central Kolkata. They were makeshift clinics much like a gypsy caravan. The doctor himself treated patients for burns, ordinary ailments and diseases like TB and leprosy. However, aside from run-ins with local goons to whom the milling crowds were a
disruption, Dr Preger ran into problems over his travel documents. He was thrown into Alipore Central jail. “The court case went on for eight-and-a-half years, although my jail stay was short,” he chuckled adding that many joked at that time, that his visa problem would not trouble him till the case was resolved. Not one to give up easily, he stood his ground, got registration for his NGO, Calcutta Rescue, and now runs a cache of free clinics. There are also two mobile clinics, an arsenic filtration plant in Malda and two schools, one of which is located in an erstwhile brothel in one of the city’s largest red-light districts. Given his roller-coaster experience would he like to be in this country again if he could turn the clock back? “Yes!” comes the pat but firm reply. ND-ND
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DELHI
Timings
Tuesday, March 07
RISE 06:40 SET 18:25 RISE 13:25 SET 02:24 Wednesday, March 08
RISE 06:39 SET 18:25 RISE 14:23 SET 03:20 Thursday, March 09
RISE 06:38 SET 18:26 RISE 15:24 SET 04:11
Another oicial arrested in Bengal child traicking case
IMA slams Mamata’s health Bill, demands its repeal
Trinamool govt trying to frame BJP leaders in false cases: Dilip Ghosh
Legislation aims to regulate private hospitals, nursing home
Staff Reporter Kolkata
Days after the arrest of a government official in a child trafficking case in North Bengal, another official has been arrested by the State’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Monday. According to the CID, the suspended District Child Protection Officer (DCPO) of Jalpaiguri was arrested after prolonged interrogation at Darjeeling’s Pintel village. Seven persons have been arrested in the case so far. “Today the CID arrested Sasmita Ghosh, DCPO, Jalpaiguri (under suspension) for her role in the child trafficking case,” Nishat Parvez, DIG CID (operations) told The Hindu. Ms. Ghosh was suspended recently after she failed to provide a satisfactory an-
IN BRIEF
K. Srinath Reddy made Advisor to Odisha Govt
swer to the show-cause notice issued last month by District Magistrate of Jalpaiguri Rachna Bhagat regarding her alleged involvement in the child trafficking case. On Friday, Darjeeling DCPO Mrinal Ghosh was arrested along with a member of the Darjeeling District Child Welfare Committee, Debasis Chandra, in connection with the case.
7 arrested so far The child trafficking racket in North Bengal came to light recently following the arrest of the owner of a child care home, Chandana Chakraborty, and one of her associates. Another person was arrested within a few days. The State unit of BJP faced a major embarrassment when the name of its wo-
men’s wing general secretary, Juhi Chowdhury, cropped up in the investigation.
Media flayed PTI adds: West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh on Monday hit out at the Trinamool Congress government and a section of the media for trying to tarnish the party’s image in the child trafficking case. He also accused CID of trying to frame BJP leaders in the child trafficking case and arresting party leader Juhi Chowdhury. “I really have a doubt about the wisdom of the media and CID. The prime accused Chandana Chakraborty was arrested and on the basis of her version our party leader Juhi Chowdhury too was arrested
by CID and the entire media is shouting slogans against BJP,” Mr. Ghosh said here. The BJP state unit on Tuesday had removed Ms. Juhi from all party posts till the investigation is over and she comes out clean. “A section of media is busy dancing to TMC’s tune. The TMC government in order to save their own leaders are trying to frame BJP leaders in false cases. But media should remember that we are not in politics because of them,” Mr. Ghosh said. The CID had unearthed the child trafficking racket during raids at homes and nursing homes in Baduria area of North 24 Parganas district, in Behala in the southern fringes of Kolkata and some other parts of south Bengal in November last year.
Special Correspondent Kolkata
Describing The West Bengal Clinical Establishment (Registration, Regulation and Transparency) BIll, 2017, as a "law born out of vengeance and given to populism", the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has demanded its "immediate repeal". The Mamata Banerjee-led government had passed the legislation, which aims to regulate private hospitals and nursing homes, on March 3 with a voice vote. Strongly criticising the Bill, a statement by the IMA Hospital Board of India read: "The legislation is given to populism and without indic-
ation of any application of mind. Having failed in all fronts in public health and with the worst health parameters in the country, the State government has taken vengeance against the private hospitals to hide its monumental failures."
A deterrent The IMA Hospital Board of India was set up in 2011 by the IMA to safeguard the interests of nursing homes and hospitals in India. “The Bill will be a deterrent to development in this sector. We demand its immediate repeal. If the State government insists on implementing this Bill, then it is advised to nationalise
the entire sector rather than do bodily harm to the hospitals," the release read.
Severe penalty Under the Bill, hospitals face severe penalty in cases of medical negligence. It also has provisions for the setting up of a regulatory commission with sweeping powers. "No government is entitled to prescribe protocols for treatment. It is the sole prerogative of the medical profession. This is a dynamic area, which has to be updated every day. Straightjacketing treatment by government protocols will jeopardise the life of patients," the statement read.
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North-east comes to Chandigarh
Odisha child marriage bid nipped in bud
BHUBANESWAR
Well-known public health expert K. Srinath Reddy has been appointed as Advisor to the Odisha Government by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. Prof. Reddy, who is presently president of the Public Health Foundation of India, has been given the rank of a Cabinet Minister.
One killed, 80 injured as bus overturns JALPAIGURI
One person was killed and 80 were injured when a bus overturned in Jalpaiguri district on Monday, police said. The speeding bus overturned as the driver lost control over the vehicle near Glassmore tea garden in the district. PTI
Childline comes to the rescue of Class X student from Sindurpur village Staff Reporter Berhampur
A timely phone call to Childline on 1098 saved one more school-going girl from the menace of child marriage in Ganjam district of Odisha The marriage of the Class X student from Sindurpur village under Chatrapur Block was scheduled for Monday, sources from Childline said. Concerned about her plight, the victim’s friends contacted Childline on March 4. According to Berhampur Childline director Sudhir Sabat, they received a call from the victim’s friends in
the evening. The issue was taken up immediately with the police and administration. A team of the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU), led by B. Bairagi Patra of the Ganjam Child Welfare Committee and police officers, reached the village on Sunday. They held discussions with the minor’s parents, relatives, the local sarpanch and senior community leaders to impress upon them the illegality of their decision. Following this, the girl’s parents and relatives decided not to get her mar-
ried.
Written undertaking The parents gave a written undertaking to that effect, also signed by their daughter, Mr. Sabat added. The telephone numbers for contacting both Childline and the government’s Students’ Helpline are displayed in every school. These numbers have helped prevent at least nine child marriages in Ganjam district since April 2016. Usually, the victims or their friends and relatives call up these helplines after failing to reason with the
family. A call to Childline on February 26 by the victim’s friend helped prevent her marriage, scheduled for March 1 at Kanchudu village under Buguda police station.
Another case In another instance, a Class IX student from Sabulia under Rambha police station tried to reason with her parents against her marriage, scheduled for February 1. When that failed, she called up the Students’ Helpline seeking help from the administration. Her marriage too was prevented.
In low:: Folk dancers from North-east enthral visitors at the inaugural session of “Destination North-East Exhibition” in Chandigarh on Monday. AKHILESH KUMAR
No denotiied tribes in Tripura: Oicials All 19 clans included in ST list Syed Sajjad Ali Agartala
All 19 nomadic tribes of the State have been integrated into the list of Scheduled Tribes, officials of the Tribal Welfare Department told a visiting Central team. Bhiku Ramji Idate, Chairman, Commission of Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (NCDNT), and member Shravan Singh Rathore paid a three-day visit to Agartala to compile a list of the marginalised tribes in the State. “Officials of the Tribal Welfare Department told us that there are no denotified tribes in Tripura,” said Mr. Rathore. Sunil Debbarma, Dir-
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ector, Tribal Research Institute, confirmed this. He, however, could not say if there are denotified tribes in the other Northeast States.
5 dominant clans Tribal people constitute 33% of Tripura’s population. Only five of the 19 clans are dominant. During their stay, the Commission members also held meetings with the department officials. The NCDNT, set up by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, examines various developmental aspects of nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes in the country.
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No fresh taxes in Haryana budget, ₹100 cr for SYL
IN BRIEF
State decides to do away with plan and non-plan classiication of expenditure Largest tricolour hoisted near Attari border AMRITSAR
A mammoth tricolour, believed to be the largest in the country with the tallest flag post, has been been inaugurated at the Indo-Pak Attari Border here. Punjab Minister Anil Joshi on Sunday inaugurated the flag measuring 110 metres (360 foot) in length and 24 metres in width.
Sterilisation drive for stray dogs JAMMU
Concerned over the sharp increase in the population of stray dogs in the last 3-4 years, the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) has decided to carry out a sterilisation drive. As per the census of stray dogs conducted by the JMC in 2014, the number was 42,000.
Four killed, 3 hurt in M.P. accident BURHANPUR
Four persons were killed and three others injured when a harvester collided with a truck on Indore-Ichapur state highway near Assergarh village here. The identity of two deceased has been established, while remaining two are yet to be identified. The injured were admitted to hospital, police said. - PTI
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT CHANDIGARH
Haryana Finance Minister Capt Abhimanyu on Monday presented the state budget in which no fresh taxes were proposed and the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) was expected to grow at 9% in 2017-18. Capt. Abhimanyu proposed a budget of ₹1,02,329.35 crore for 201718, an increase of Rs 9,041.59 (13.18 per cent) over the last budget. He said on the pattern of the union government initiative, Haryana has also decided to dispense with the plan and non-plan classification of expenditure and present the budget in terms of revenue and capital classification.
“Significant strides” “Haryana has made significant strides in all key parameters that constitute the economic and fiscal space. Be it GSDP growth, per capita income, fiscal deficit, debt-to-GSDP ratio or total
JAIPUR
An old artillery shell was on Monday unearthed in Sriganganagar district of Rajasthan, police said. The shell was spotted by some locals at an isolated area near Suratgarh city and informed police, Suratgarh city police station SHO Narayan Singh said. Army has been informed about the shell and it will be defused by them, he said. - PTI
revenue as a ratio of GSDP things have improved,” Capt Abhimanyu said as he presented his third consecutive budget. “GSDP which is estimated to have logged a growth rate of 8.7% in 2016-17 is poised to touch 9% in 2017-18,” he
said, adding that the present government, by following prudent fiscal management policies, had been able to reverse the increasing trend in deficit parameters witnessed during the previous regime. “This is clear from the fact that in 2014-15, the revenue
Rural areas get priority Capt. Abhimanyu said that bulk of the allocation made for agriculture, panchayats and irrigation departments in the budget are meant for rural areas. “It is expected that in the next financial year, the allocation for rural areas will get a further boost,” he added.
Court rejects plea to withdraw case Mob attack on Banjara settlement in Bhilwara district of Rajasthan Special Correspondent JAIPUR
Old artillery shell unearthed
Money matters: Haryana Finance Minister Capt. Abhimanyu arrives to present the budget in Assembly in Chandigarh on Monday. AKHILESH KUMAR
deficit, which was 1.90% of GSDP, had declined to 1.6% in 2015-16, and in 2016-17, it is likely to be 1.33%. For fiscal 2017-18, I have targeted to bring it further down to less than 1% and by the end of 2019-20, my target is to bring it down to zero,” he added. Expressing commitment towards the construction of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal, Capt. Abhimanyu announced to allocate ₹100 crore especially for this purpose in 2017-18. “I assure the august House that for construction of the SYL even if ₹1,000 crore is required, we will provide the same”, he said.
A Sessions Court at Shahpura in Bhilwara district of Rajasthan has rejected the State government's plea to withdraw the criminal case registered in 2014 for a violent attack by a mob on the houses of 42 Banjara families at Dhikola village. The houses were vandalised and burnt and property worth lakhs of rupees was destroyed in the attack. The nomadic Banjara community has welcomed the court’s order and criti-
cised the Bharatiya Janata Party government for siding with the perpetrators of violence.
Houses torched The high-profile case made headlines in August 2014 when a mob armed with sharp-edged weapons poured kerosene on the houses and properties of Banjara community and indulged in violence. The houses, motorcycles and tractors of 42 families were burnt in the incident. Of the 141 accused booked
in the case, 46 were arrested and they remained in jail for over four months. The trial against them has been continuing in the court of Shahpura's Addtional Sessions Judge since 2014. However, the Principal Home Secretary passed an order on November 23, 2016 in favour of withdrawal of the case from the court “in public interest”. Peeved by the decision, activists questioned the State government's intentions and registered a protest. A delegation of Banjaras
met Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria and senior officers with the demand to not withdraw the case, saying it would amount to injustice to the victims of violence. However, the State government went ahead and filed the application in the court.
‘Charges grave’ Lawyer Suresh Srimali, appearing in the court on behalf of victims, argued against the withdrawal of case and contended that the charges were grave.
Miscreants break mirrors at Chittorgarh Fort Karni Sena claims mirrors misrepresent story of Padmini Special Correspondent JAIPUR
A group of miscreants shattered mirrors in the Padmini Palace inside the 13th century Chittorgarh Fort of Rajasthan claiming that the mirrors misrepresent the story of Queen Padmini. Activists of the Rajput outfit, Karni Sena, who gained access to the palace posing as tourists, allegedly indulged in vandalism on Sunday. The Karni Sena had earlier asked the fort authorities to remove the mirrors.
Heritage site The Chittorgarh Fort is a World Heritage Site protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Police have registered a case against unidentified persons on a complaint from ASI officials. No one has been arrested so far. Three mirrors in the palace, situated adjacent to a small lake, were installed about 50 years ago. The Rajput group claims that the mirrors misrepresent the story of Queen Padmini, who performed Jahuhar (self-immolation) rather than submitting to Delhi Sultan Alauddin Khilji. The mirrors were shown to tourists as part of a legend that Alauddin Khilji saw Queen Padmini’s face in a mirror while she was seated
Congress stages walkout over land scam in M.P.
Amarnath pilgrims told not to drink alcohol
No assurance of probe by Chauhan government
‘Start exercising at least one month prior to the yatra’
Press trust of india Bhopal
The Congress on Monday staged a walkout in Madhya Pradesh Assembly when it failed to get an assurance of a probe in an alleged land scam in Sagar district. During Question Hour, the Congress members alleged that the title of a leased land in Sagar, located about 190 km from Bhopal, was registered in favour of a builder in violation of revenue laws. Congress MLA Harsh Yadav said the lease of the 27 acre land was in favour of two brothers.
‘Revenue laws violated’ In January this year, the land’s title was changed in the builder’s favour in violation of revenue laws, he alleged. “There is no rule to register the deed of ‘change of title’ of a leased land. But,
Sagar district registrar has registered this deed in favour of the developer in which the estimated cost of land is shown to be ₹35 crore,” he said. However, the market cost of the land is estimated to be much higher at ₹650-700 crore, he claimed. When Mr Yadav asked how the land was registered in favour of the builder, MP’s Revenue Minister Umashankar Gupta said, “The (Sagar) district collector had written a letter to the registrar for not registering the deed. But, still the registrar carried out registration of this deed.” “We have moved the Madhya Pradesh High Court against the registration of the land deed,” Mr Gupta said. He pointed out that the deed was registered after the Revenue Board gave an order in favour of the builder. Congress MLA Dr
Govind Singh then said the market cost of the land is estimated to be around ₹650 crore. “The district collector had directed the registrar on June 6, 2016 that the deed for ‘change of title’ should not be registered. Despite the directives, the deed was registered (in January this year) in favour of the builder in violation of rules,” he said.
‘Ministers to blame’ This was done under pressure from some ministers, he alleged and demanded a high-level inquiry into the matter. The other Congress legislators also stood up and supported the demand for a probe. However, when they did not get any assurance of a probe, the Congress MLAs, led by Deputy Leader of Opposition Bala Bachchan, staged a walkout in the House.
NEW DELHI
Deep breathing “Start deep breathing exercise and yoga, particularly pranayam, for improving oxygen efficiency of the
in a tenement on the other side of the lake, as a compromise with her husband Rana Ratan Singh.
Sena’s claim The Karni Sena dismisses the narrative as spurious and insists that the queen’s face was never shown to the Khilji dynasty ruler. Rajput leader and Karni Sena founder Lokendra Singh Kalvi said glass and mirrors were yet to come to India in the 13th century when Alauddin Khilji attacked Chittorgarh. Mr. Kalvi said they had submitted several memoranda to the administration seeking to remove mirrors,
but in vain. In January, the Karni Sena activists had roughed up film-maker Sanjay Leela Bhansali in Jaipur’s Jaigarh Fort and vandalised the Padmavati sets, alleging that the film had distorted history by showing a romantic relationship between the Muslim ruler and the Rajput queen. The Karni Sena withdrew its protests after the filmmaker clarified that there was nothing objectionable in the movie’s script. The Bharatiya Janata Party government has said that the film will not be allowed to be released in the State until the Rajput leaders watch it.
toms of high altitude illness with symptoms like loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, weakness, dizziness, light headedness and difficulty in sleeping, visual impairment, bladder dysfunction. “Don’t drink alcohol, caffeinated drink, or smoke. Don’t ascend any further if you have altitude illness,” it said.
PRess Trust Of India
The Amarnath Shrine Board has asked all pilgrims not to drink alcohol or caffeinated drink and to start physical exercise at least one month prior to the pilgrimage which begins June 29. In an advisory, the Shrine Board said the pilgrimage to the holy cave involves trekking at altitudes as high as 14,000 feet and the pilgrims may develop high altitude sickness. To avoid high altitude sickness, the Board advised the pilgrims to prepare for physical fitness by starting a preparatory morning/evening walk, about 4-5 km per day, at least a month prior to the pilgrimage.
Back again: Karni Sena activists had earlier disrupted the shooting of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s upcoming ilm Padmawati at Jaigarh fort in Jaipur. FILE PHOTO
The Amarnath Shrine Board advisory comes as the Yatra in slated to begin on June 29. FILE PHOTO
physician prior to travelling to higher elevations, if you have any existing pre-existing medical conditions. “Do walk slowly while ascending and take time to acclimatise, relax for a short while on steep inclines. Do avoid exerting beyond your normal capacity,” the advisory said.
Time logging “Do take compulsory rest at various locations and ensure time logging and take ideal walking time mentioned on the display boards while moving towards next location. “Do follow the prescribed food menu -— available at Shrine Board’s website shriamarnathjishrine.com — when having food in the Yatra area,” the advisory, circulated by the Home Min-
‘H.P. govt denying pension beneits’ Staff Correspondent SHIMLA
The retired employees of various Boards and Corporations in Himachal Pradesh, who are deprived of any pension benefits despite repeated government assurances, are now forced to work for MNREGA as daily wagers. “Some of them who are getting old being thrown out from this scheme too”, said Govind Chatranta, coordinator of the corporate sector workers. The marginalised employees, who have now planned to go on an agitation from next week, said they have CM YK
been exploited by both the successive Congress and BJP governments in the State. Despite government notification of October 1999 when they were promised pension benefits like other State employees in accordance with the provision laid down in the Central Civil Services Rule , they were denied the financial crunch. These employees around 39,000 regular PSU employees, about 32,000 are being given regular pension and only a handful are being denied the benefit. ND-ND
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IN BRIEF Revision of electoral rolls sought MUMBAI
NCP MLA Jitendra Avhad on Monday approached the Bombay High Court seeking a direction to poll authorities to carry out revision of electoral rolls of all the constituencies of Maharashtra. Mr Avhad, in his public interest litigation, said before the next civic elections in 2019, a revision of electoral rolls has to be carried out. “Polls were marred as voters could not vote due to various reasons.,” the plea said. - PTI
Cong, NCP leaders for parallel counting PANAJI
Leaders of the Congress and the NCP on Monday requested the Election Commission to conduct simultaneous counting of votes from EVMs and Voters Verification Paper Audit Trail in Goa on March 11 to ensure accuracy. PTI
Velingkar disbands breakaway unit, to re-enter RSS However, will continue his opposition to English medium primary school grants Prakash Kamat Panaji
Members of the breakaway faction led by sacked Goa unit RSS chief Subhash Velingkar on Monday unanimously dissolved the rebel unit and announced their collective re-entry into the parent body. Addressing a press conference here , Mr. Velingkar, however said, that their reentry into the RSS fold did not mean he and the local RSS cadre, had mended bridges with the Goa BJP, and warned BJP leaders not to deviate from the core values and principles of the RSS. Mr. Velingkar also said that all members of the RSS, who had stepped out of the organisation with him, would rejoin the shakhas and con-
tinue their work as volunteers of Sangh under the aegis of the Nagpur-based organisation.
Message to BJP “The BJP cannot take all RSS rank and file for granted on the matters of ideology, core values and principles, for they know to en mass stand against it and teach BJP a lesson. This is the message which has gone on an all-India level. This is the biggest takeaway from this six-month exercise,” asserted Mr. Velingkar replying to a question about the achievement of the rebellion. RSS publicity division chief Manmohan Vaidya later told presspersons that the reentry of Mr. Velingkar and other swayamsevaks back
into the RSS fold was expected. “This was bound to happen. We had initially said that Mr. Velingkar would join back,” said Mr. Vaidya. Earlier, Mr. Velingkar said that the Goa RSS leaders and volunteers had shown immense respect towards the ideals and teachings of the RSS, despite their exit from the organisation in September last year.
Mission complete “When we stepped out of the RSS hierarchy, our objective was to teach the Goa BJP, which was destroying the core of RSS teachings, a lesson in the Assembly elections. We have succeeded in doing that. Our mission in that sense is complete. The
BJP leaders should realise that they should never take the RSS for granted,” Mr. Velingkar said.
Sacked for attacks Mr. Velingkar was sacked from the RSS in August last year after he incessantly attacked Defence Minister and former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, and the Goa BJP for “deviating from RSS teachings and betraying the cause of regional languages by declining to stop the government grants to English medium primary schools, most of which are run by Arch Diocese”. In a bid to defeat the BJP, Mr. Velingkar and the Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch (BBSM), the movement spearheading the cause of re-
Former chief of Goa unit of RSS Subhash Velingkar announces the ‘ghar wapasi’ of his breakaway faction. PTI
gional languages in primary education, went on to form a regional party — Goa Suraksha Manch — which contested the February 4 elections in alliance with the Shiv Sena, and the MGP, one of Goa’s oldest regional political party, which broke its alli-
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Owaisi dissolves core AIMIM committee Shoumojit Banerjee Pune
After a largely unspectacular performance in the recently concluded civic polls in Maharashtra, Asaduddin Owaisi, president of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) on Monday dissolved his party’s State core committee. In a letter to the core committee members of his party in Maharashtra, Mr. Owaisi lauded their efforts which produced decent gains for the AIMIM in the civic polls. Party sources said the ostensible reason behind the dissolution was that the core committee had been set-up for the express purpose of the civic polls only. However, despite the party making humble, though steady inroads in civic corporations, the real reason behind the dissolu-
Scent of summer
ance with BJP just ahead of elections. On Monday, Mr. Velingkar insisted that their stand over opposition to English medium primary school grants and involvement in BBSM movement and GSM as political party will continue.
Students join hands with police to curb cyber crime Vedika Chaubey Nashik
party’s failure to live up to the high expectations, namely in the Pune, Solapur and Mumbai civic polls. At the same time, the party is facing internal discord. In Latur, disgruntled AIMIM activists burnt effigies of the Owaisi brothers and AIMIM legislator Imtiaz Jaleel. In Pune, AIMIM leader Zuber Shaikh accused Mr. Jaleel of taking bribes during the ticket allocation. Mr. Shaikh, who headed the party’s Pune unit, was dismissed from the party. The AIMIM, which cornered the Congress’s and NCP’s minority votes in the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) election, polled nearly 74, 000 votes (1.26 % of the total vote share) despite winning only one seat. The party contested on only 21 seats in the PMC polls. The AIMIM secured a total 26 seats in elections to 10 civic bodies across the State.
Summer special: :With temperatures rising across Maharashtra, cultivation of the all-time summer favourite musk melon is
When asked what was the hurry to merge with the RSS ahead of election results as their own party, the GSM, is in the fray, Mr. Kiran Nayak, vice-president of GSM and senior member of Velingkar group recalled their earlier announcement that they would merge on February4. However,it was delayed because some time was needed to convince everyone for a collective and unanimous decision. “To work as RSS we don’t need to wait for results of the election. We are sure BJP will be defeated. Imagine if we were to join after the results and on the background of BJP defeat, we would have been accused of being selfish and opportunists,” said Mr. Nayak.
The Nashik police has started a cyber crime awareness programme to tackle the increasing number of such incidents. Students and common citizens are being involved as ambassadors to spread awareness of the issue. A cyber lab was opened in August last year and since then the Nashik Police is on a mission to bring such crime to zero. Till now, 20,000 students from nearly 40 schools and colleges have been given lessons on cyber crime. “Our only motto is to control such crimes in the city and safeguard the people, especially students. Nowadays people are so much on internet and social networking sites that they can’t even think when they have become the victim of cyber crime,” said Dr. Ravindra Kumar Singal, Commissioner of Nashik. Out of the 20000 stu-
dents, 250 have become ambassadors who go at different places and create awareness about the cyber crimes. “Not only schools and colleges but we are also targeting the corporates. I try to attend all the awareness programmes,” adds Singal. The cyber ambassadors are trained by the staff of police commission. After the students and corporate, the Nashik police is planning to involve the families also. A police official said earlier tracking of such cases was tough but now through our cyber cell departments, we can retrieve the details of the accused. “Though parents should not spyon their children, they should aware of their activities and surfing habits on the computer or mobile. If this is not done then their children are at risk of falling victim to cyber crime,” added the official.
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IN BRIEF
Mahadayi stir on for 600 days Farmers plan padayatra after the announcement of the Goa election results
‘Krishna will join BJP soon’ Yeddyurappa invites him to join the party Special Correspondent
Minimum fare for cab drivers likely BENGALURU
The Karnataka Transport Department has decided to follow the example of the Maharashtra government and is exploring the option of setting a minimum fare for drivers signed up with taxi aggregators. The decision was taken on Monday by Transport Commissioner M.K. Aiyappa.
HC seeks progress in Kalabhavan Mani case KOCHI
The Kerala High Court on Monday directed the State government to file a report on the progress of the probe into the death of actor Kalabhavan Mani. The directive was passed on a petition filed by Mani’s brother, R.L.V. Ramakrishnan, for a CBI probe in the case. The court also asked the CBI to inform it of its stand in this regard.
Assembly condemns threat to Pinarayi THIRUVANANTHAPURAM
The Kerala Assembly on Monday unanimously adopted a resolution condemning the death threat issued by RSS leader Kundan Chandrawat against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs A.K. Balan called upon the government of Madhya Pradesh to file a case against the RSS leader.
Leopard captured, taken to Thrissur zoo KANNUR
Forest and police personnel were on high alert from Sunday afternoon till late at night, when a leopard that strayed into a plot near the railway track in a densely populated area within the Kannur Corporation was captured. The officials caught the animal around 11 p.m. after firing tranquilliser shots.
GIRISH PATTANASHETTI
BENGALURU
HUBBALLI
Stepping up efforts to woo the former Karnataka Chief Minister S.M. Krishna to the Bharatiya Janata Party fold, BJP State president B.S. Yeddyurappa met Mr. Krishna at the latter’s residence and formally invited him to join the party on Monday. After meeting the veteran leader at his Sadashivnagar residence here in Bengaluru, Mr. Yeddyurappa told reporters that he was confident that Mr. Krishna would join the BJP soon. Upset over the manner in which he had been allegedly sidelined by the party central leadership, Mr. Krishna had quit the Congress on January 28. Sources in the BJP said the veteran leader had shown interest in meeting the party’s central leaders. The leadership is expected to hold consultations with him some time after March 15
As the indefinite agitation launched by farmers and members of different organisations at Naragund entered the 600th day on Monday, there seems to be a marked shift in the approach of protesters towards resolving the long-pending issue of sharing of Mahadayi river water with which the Kalasa Banduri Nala project is interlinked. The political undertones of different organisations, which were obvious during the initial days of the agitation, now seem to have disappeared or at least the farmers and those leading the protest have kept such organisations and individuals at bay. They are now waiting for the results of the Goa Assembly polls to take the issue forward. “We plan to take a padayatra of farmers to Goa
In one voice: Farmers staging a protest in Naragund on Monday as the Mahadayi agitation entered the 600th day. SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT with a message that we should solve the issue amicably. We want to give it a try,” said Viresh Sobaradmath, who is leading the agitation. Mr. Sobaradmath, who launched the agitation along with Shankranna Kambali, has now embraced ‘sanyasa’
and has emerged a “nonpolitical leader.” While the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to resolve the issue is still their main demand, the developments in the aftermath of the Navalgund violence and with changed priorities of the leadership,
their approach seems to have softened. Meanwhile, taking exception to Goa Chief Minister Laxmikanth Parsekar’s attempts to meet Mr. Modi on the Mahadayi issue, Navalgund MLA N.H. Konaraddi called it “a ploy” to further delay the solution.
BJP leader B.S. Yeddyurappa with former Karnataka CM S.M. Krishna in Bengaluru on Monday. SUDHAKARA JAIN
when the elections to the U.P. Assembly would be completed, they added. Considering the stature of Mr. Krishna, who has also served as External Affairs Minister and his influence among the dominant Vokkaliga community as well as urban voters, any talks related to his possible entry into the BJP would be held mainly with the central leaders, sources noted.
The BJP has been traditionally weak in Mandya region, where Mr. Krishna hails from, and hopes his entry could bolster its chances ahead of the Assembly election in 2018. It is also keen to woo the leader as such a move would be a major embarrassment for the Congress. When contacted, Mr. Krishna’s office did not comment on the meeting.
Ex-DGP raises political murders in SC
SC slams Telangana’s detention of petty thief
7 tribal girls molested in Wayanad
Senkumar asks whether Kerala CM will take responsibility for incidents in State
Eliah jailed for stealing ive saris
Staff Reporter
Krishnadas Rajagopal
Kalpetta
NEW DELHI
In a grim pointer to sexual exploitation of minor girls in Kerala, seven minors have been allegedly molested in Wayanad. The police said five men were taken into custody in connection with the incident. The children had been sexually exploited by the accused for the past six months on their return to nearby hostel from the school. The issue came to light two days ago when a school official saw a girl in a suspicious circumstance in a nearby shop. When she was interrogated the girl revealed that as many as six girls were also sexually exploited.
As political murders in Kerala gain limelight and raise debates for Central intervention, former Kerala DGP T.P. Senkumar asked the Supreme Court on Monday whether Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will take “responsibility” for the nine political murders that occurred in the State. Mr. Senkumar, who was shunted out of the DGP post within two days of the current LDF government taking over, asked if he is seen “responsible” for the sensational Jisha murder case in Kerala, will Mr. Vijayan take responsibility for the nine political murders as he is also the Home Minister.
Press Trust of India New Delhi
People looting crores of rupees are “enjoying life” but a man is in jail for allegedly stealing five saris, the Supreme Court said on Monday as it pulled up the Telangana government for keeping an accused under preventive custody. “A person who has taken away crores of rupees is enjoying... But here a person who took five saris and he is in jail,” a Bench headed by Chief Justice J.S. Khehar said. The apex court, considering a plea filed by the wife of Ch. Eliah who has been in
custody for a year without trial for allegedly stealing five saris in Hyderabad, has listed the matter for further hearing on March 8. During the hearing, counsel representing the State argued that the arrest was made after traders in Hyderabad had complained about a gang of sari thieves, which prompted the police to arrest him. Earlier, the State had defended its move detaining Eliah under the draconian A.P. Prevention of Dangerous Activities of bootleggers, dacoits, drug offenders, goondas, immoral traffic and land grabbers Act.
Arguing before a Bench led by Justice Madan B. Lokur, senior advocate Dushyant Dave and advocate Prashant Bhushan, for Mr. Senkumar, said his removal from the top police post was guided by sheer political motives. The State blamed his performance in the Jisha murder case and the Puttingal fire tragedy as reasons for his removal. “My performance is 9 out of 10. I was in no way directly responsible for the two cases [Puttingal and Jisha]. If that is the case, 96 police officers were transferred by this government. Nine political murders occurred in the State. Will the Chief Minister, who is also the Home Minis-
ter, take responsibility? If not, why should the Chief Minister say I should take responsibility,” Mr. Dave submitted. He said there should be “some semblance of law.”
‘Outstanding record’ “I have an outstanding record. According to Your Lordships’ decision in Prakash Singh case, top police officers should have a minimum tenure of two years. Any removal of them should be done by the State government in consultation with the State Security Commission under the Kerala Police Act of 2011,” Mr. Dave, along with advocate Haris Beeran, submitted. Justice Lokur orally remarked that posting and re-
moval of police officers had become “extremely subjective.” “We need to consider this case,” Justice Lokur said. The court issued notice to the State for passing interim orders. Appearing for the State, senior advocate P.P. Rao said the file on Mr. Senkumar had started moving before the LDF government came to power. “It was only a continued action,” Mr. Rao said. Kerala said there was no need to consult the State Security Commission as this was not a case of “removal” as alleged, but transfer. “At the highest level, a DGP should have peak performance,” the Kerala government said.
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IN BRIEF
Manmohan didn’t assert himself in UPA-II: Tewari
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But Congress leader says former Prime Minister was not weak TMC protests linking Aadhaar to mid-day meal KOLKATA
The Trinamool Congress took out a procession here on Monday protesting against the Centre’s ‘anti-people policies’ and the decision to link Aadhar cards to the mid-day meal programme. The party’s women’s wing, led by Chandrima Bhattacharya, took out the rally in central Kolkata demanding withdrawal of the decision. West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee had slammed the Centre’s move as ‘shocking’ on Saturday. PTI
Moderate quake hits Jammu and Kashmir SRINAGAR
An earthquake measuring 4.8 on the Richter Scale hit Jammu and Kashmir on Monday. No damage was caused by the tremor. “A light intensity earthquake of 4.8 magnitude was recorded at 8.40 a.m.,” an official of the MeT department here said. He said the tremors occurred at a depth of 50 kilometres. The epicentre was in the north-western area of the State. A police official said there were no reports of any damage. PTI
Bihar: 45 students take ill due to food poisoning PURNIA
As many as 45 students of a residential minority seminary were taken ill due to suspected food poisoning in Bihar’s Purnia district, a medical officer said on Monday. The incident took place at Jamia Milia Bada Madarsa at Dagarua Bazar on Sunday night after the students had dinner, said Civil Surgeon Dr. MM Wasim. One student has been referred to Sadar hospital in view of his serious condition, Dr. Wasim added. PTI
yours, that statesmanship should come out,” the former Information and Broadcasting Minister said. During a poll rally in Uttar Pradesh, Mr Modi had stressed that there should be no discrimination on the basis of caste and religion. “If there is electricity in graveyard and during Ramzan, it must also be available in a crematorium and during Diwali,” Mr Modi had said.
Press Trust of India Chandigarh
Manmohan Singh was not a “weak” Prime Minister but for some “strange reasons” he decided not to assert himself during the second term of the UPA government, Congress leader Manish Tewari said on Monday. Responding to questions after a book launch event here, Mr Tewari said: “My personal take is that Manmohan Singh was not a weak Prime Minister. “Had he been a weak PM, he wouldn’t have gone ahead with the civil nuclear deal. But for some strange reasons, he decided during the second term of the UPA not to assert himself,” said Mr Tewari, who was a Minister of State in the UPA government.
Lashes out at Modi Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his ‘shamshan-kabristan’ remark, he said it doesn’t be-
Frank talk: Manish Tewari with former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at a function in New Delhi during UPA II.
hove of the Prime Minister’s post and termed as “worrying” the BJP’s bid to tailor the national discourse to its views. “I will try and be non-partisan, but unfortunately when you are seeing the Prime Minister of the country bringing down the discourse to ‘shamshan’ and
‘kabristan’, it does not really augur well for the institution of the PM,” he said. Mr Tewari said “it is one thing when you are campaigning to become the PM and it’s another thing when you are the PM.” “Therefore, when you speak as the PM, in every action, every articulation of
Distorting discourse Mr Tewari said he feels that there has been a “concerted attempt” to try and tailor the national discourse to BJP’s views after the party came to power. “What happened in FTII, Pune, what’s happening in the censor board, what is being played out in the universities. It’s a premeditated, concerted attempt to adjust the national discourse and that’s the most worrying tendency,” he said.
Fun and frolic: Students celebrate Holi in advance at Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in Varanasi on Monday. RAJEEV BHATT
Man lynched at TMC oice
Meditation, reiki at yoga week
Villager accused of theft, Trinamool leader roams free
Over 1,000 practitioners from 100 countries take part in festivities
Staff Reporter Kolkata
A person was beaten to death allegedly inside a Trinammol Congress party office in the Canning area of South 24 Paraganas district on Sunday. Locals said the lynching took place at the behest of a local Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader. According to the villagers, Haru Meer (45), a resident of the Itkhola panchayat in Canning, was asked by the TMC leader and local panchayat pradhan, Khatib Sardar, to come to the local
panchayat office on Sunday. “They accused Haru of theft and assaulted him,” said a resident of the area on condition of anonymity. Mr. Sardar could not be reached for comments.
Family lodges complaint According to a civil rights activist, even though the family of the deceased have already lodged a police complaint, no one has been arrested so far and the accused TMC leader is “roaming free”. An official at the Canning
police station said last Saturday a person was assaulted by locals who accused him of theft. “On Sunday evening he succumbed to his injuries,” the official said. Senior TMC leaders could not be reached for comment. Last September members of a local rationalist society were assaulted in Sandeshkhali area of North 24 Paraganas district at the behest of a kangaroo court. A local panchayat member of the CPI (M) was allegedly behind the assault.
Staff Reporter Dehradun
The week-long International Yoga Festival at Rishikesh – the unofficial yoga capital of the world – that witnessed participation from nearly 100 countries will end here on Tuesday. The festival began on March 1 and had 70 presenters from 20 countries who gave classes to over 1,000 yoga practitioners and students from over 100 countries. “Ashtanga Yoga, Raja Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Kundalini
Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga, Bharat Yoga, Ganga Yoga, and Somatics Yoga were a few of the more than 150 different offerings throughout the week.
Spiritual discourse There were also classes on meditation, mudras, Sanskrit chanting, reiki, Indian philosophy and spiritual discourses to be held by revered spiritual leaders from India and abroad, the organisers at the Parmarth Niketan Ashram in Rishikesh that hosted the festival said.
Having begun in 1989, the International Yoga Festival is held annually at Rishikesh. Each day, yoga practitioners and teachers participate in a session that begins at 4 a.m. and continues till 9:30 p.m. at the Parmarth Niketan Ashram, located along the banks of the Ganga.
Agent of change Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had addressed the festival through video conferencing on March 2, said that yoga could help combat climate change and
terrorism. “The world today is also threatened by the twin challenges – terrorism and climate change. The world looks at India and Yoga for a durable and sustainable answer to these problems. When we talk of global peace, there should be peace among nations… only peaceful individuals can make peaceful families,” Mr. Modi had said. The PM said yoga was the way to create such harmony and peace within individuals, families, societies and nations.
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Panel to pick new ICSSR chairman
IN BRIEF
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Sailing into sunset
Centre identiies two persons for search committee Former LS Speaker Rabi Ray passes away
Vikas Pathak New Delhi
CUTTACK
Eminent socialist leader, former Union Minister and former Speaker of the Lok Sabha Rabi Ray passed away due to prolonged illness on Monday at SCB Medical College and Hospital here. He was 91 and is survived by wife Dr Saraswati Swain.
Nitish pays rich tributes to Ram Sundar Das PATNA
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday unveiled a statue of veteran leader and former Bihar CM Ram Sundar Das to pay respect to the departed leader. Mr. Kumar unveiled the statue at a park in Lohia Nagar MIG Colony in Kankerbagh locality of Patna. Ram Sundar Das had died on March 6, 2015 due to age related problems. He was 95. PTI
Youth fatally hit by train while clicking selie PANAJI
A 25-year-old youth, Sachin Kundaikar, lost his life when he was hit by a train while clicking a selie on his mobile phone standing on a railway track, police said on Monday. The incident took place on Sunday near Karmali station, about 10 km from here. The youth was immediately rushed to hospital. PTI
Estuarine crocodile hacked to death KENDRAPARA (ODISHA)
A group of ishermen have allegedly hacked to death a 7-foot-long estuarine crocodile in Bagapatia village of Odisha’s Kendrapara district. Forest oicials spotted the carcass near a water body in the village on Sunday. The estuarine crocodile has been accorded protected status under wildlife provisions, forest oicials said. PTI
With the term of the present chairman of the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) S.K. Thorat coming to an end, the Centre has set the ball rolling to appoint a replacement for him. The government has zeroed in on names to man a search-cum-selection committee to choose the new chairman for the apex social science research body. National Research Professor Ashok Modak and key RSS-linked Akhil Bharatiya Itihasa Sankalan Yojana figure Satish Mittal are being roped in as members of the committee to sort names for the post, sources said. The secretary (higher education) at the MHRD will also be on the search panel. Prof. Modak, who did his
doctorate from Jawaharlal Nehru University in 1980, studied in Pune before this. The Smriti Irani-led Ministry of Human Resource Development appointed him National Research Professor — an honour for “distinguished scholars” — in 2015.
MLC from Maharashtra Prof. Modak was also an MLC of the BJP in Maharashtra from 1994 to 2006. Prof. Mittal, who taught history at Kurukshetra University, has been a prime figure of the RSS-linked Akhil Bharatiya Itihas Sankalan Yojana. He addressed historians on the foundation day of the Indian Council of Historical Research last year. He has authored the NCERT Modern India textbook that was commissioned by the Vajpayee government in 2003.
With the appointment of Meerut-based professor Virendra Malhotra, the ICSSR got a new member-secretary last year. Outgoing ICSSR chief Prof. Thorat, an appointee of the UPA government, is a former chairman of the University Grants Commission who also taught at the Jawaharlal Nehru University. Another institution that will soon see new leadership is the prestigious Indian Institute of Advanced Studies (IIAS) in Simla. Prof. Manjappa Hosamane, who teaches Economics at the University of Mysore, is set to be on the selection committee for picking the new IIAS chief. As of now, IIT Roorkee director Ajit Kumar Chaturvedi is holding additional charge as director of IIAS, Simla.
Bidding adieu: Navy oicers lower the lag of INS Viraat at its decommissioning ceremony at the Western Naval Command in Mumbai on Monday. INS Viraat, weighing 27,800 tonnes, was the world’s oldest aircraft carrier in service. PRASHANT NAKWE
Law to regulate use of air conditioners Environment Ministry mulls rules to deine their operating parameters Jacob Koshy NEW DELHI
To coax establishments to use electricity more efficiently, the Union Environment Ministry is mulling laws that will require buildings — commercial spaces, airports, offices — to ensure that air conditioners function at preset temperatures. At a conference to discuss India’s roadmap to phase out particular gases used in refrigerants and air-conditioners because they contribute to global warming, M.K. Singh, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests said the government could bring in a notification, after due public consultation, and
have rules that define operating parametres for ACs. This was because several places frequently set their air conditioners to extremely low temperatures — irrespective of whether the weather required it to be so — and thereby consumed an excess of electricity. “In Japan, there are regulations that require air-conditioners be set at a specific temperature depending on the season,” Mr. Singh told The Hindu on the sidelines of the conference. Since the summer of 2005, the Japanese Ministry of Environment requires all government departments and commercial establishments to pre-set
their air conditioners to 28°C (82°F) during the summer, with employees expected to eschew formal business-wear for comfortable casuals. Mr. Singh added that there would be discussions on the plan but there was no time-frame yet in place to execute the proposal. Chandra Bhushan, Deputy Director General, Centre for Science and Environment, who was part of the discussion panel, said that his organisation had discussed such a plan with the ministry. “Even the European Union has regulations on the use of heating and cooling equipment…we discussed
this [with the government] and let’s see if this comes about,” he said on phone. The panel was part of conference to announce updates on India’s ongoing plans to phase out hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFC), chemicals widely used in refrigerants and airconditioners. Originally brought in as replacements for refrigerant-chemicals but later found to have a high global warming potential, India is one of the largest consumers of HCFCs after China, and is expected to use even more of it because of the projected growth in the sale of air-conditioners. It has, however, agreed to stop the use of HCFCs by 2030.
45 IAS oicers shifted in major Bengal reshule District magistrates were among those transferred Press Trust of India Kolkata
In a major reshuffle in the IAS cadre in West Bengal on Monday, around 45 senior officials, including a few district magistrates, were transferred. Alokesh Prasad Roy, the Commissioner of Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation, has been made the district magistrate of Purulia replacing Tanmay Chakrabarty who became the DM of Malda, a source in the State secretariat said. Sharad Dwivedi, the DM of Malda, becomes the new
DM of Murshidabad in place of Ratnakar Rao, he said. Mr. Rao was transferred to be the new DM of South 24 Parganas in place of P.B. Salim, who, as per the order will take over as the new Secretary of the Minority Affairs and Madrasa Education.
DM of Burdwan Darjeeling DM Anurag Srivastava was ordered to be the new DM of Burdwan, he said adding that Burdwan DM Saumitra Mohan was made the Additional Secretary of the Health & Family
Welfare Department. South 24 Parganas Additional District Magistrate (ADM)(General) Joyoshi Dasgupta was made the DM of Darjeeling. As per the order, Additional Secretary Health & Family Welfare Department Pritha Sarkar was made the new Commissioner of Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation, he said referring to the order. Prabhat Kumar Mishra Manoj Agarwal,Anil Verma, Indevar Pandey, and Sunil Gupta were other officers who were transferred.
Bhangar villagers vow to continue stir Roads blocked at several points
Villagers take out a rally in Bhangar seeking the release of activists. SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT Staff Reporter Kolkata
Tension is running high in the Bhangar area of West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district, a day after fresh protests broke out after the arrest of an activist. On Monday, protesters blocked roads at several points in 20 villages in Bhangar. The activist Ahad Ali Molla, who was involved in the ongoing agitation against the setting up of a power grid in the area, was arrested on Sunday. “We will continue the agitation till Ahad is released unconditionally. His arrest is a ploy to suppress a peaceful and democratic agitation,” said a member of the Land and Livelihood Protection Committee that is spearheading the agitation. Locals said there were no incidents of violence
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so far despite the tension and police had not made fresh attempts to enter the 20 villages. Locals said they were apprehensive of a fresh police crackdown and were keeping a constant vigil at night. The agitators took out a protest march during the day demanding Mr. Molla’s release. Tension has been simmering in Bhangar ever since the villagers launched an agitation against the power grid in the area. On January 18, two villagers were shot dead when protesters clashed with the police. Meanwhile, Women Against Sexual Violence and State Repression (WSS), a platform of women’s organisations, released a fact-finding report about alleged police atrocities in Bhangar.
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8 EDITORIAL
NOIDA/DELHI
THE HINDU
TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2017
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Cracking the GDP mystery The CSO has been consistent with its methods, allowing little room for suspicion of window dressing
Last mile concerns id demonetisation deal a knock-out punch to the Indian economy? Or was it just a mild tap from which it is already recovering? This debate should have been settled with the latest second advance estimates from the Central Statistics Oice (CSO) which peg FY17 GDP growth at 7.1%. But commentators who believe that the economy has sufered a debilitating blow from the note ban are not willing to rest their case here. They have lagged a long list of issues with these GDP numbers, apart from hinting that the numbers are fudged. However, this is taking the criticism a little too far. A closer analysis of the CSO’s estimates suggests that, contrary to perception, they do factor in the impact of the note ban. And while India’s GDP estimation method could certainly do with improvements, the CSO has been both transparent and consistent with its methods, allowing little room for suspicions of window-dressing.
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Delhi and Beijing must manage tensions and focus on the big bilateral issues
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hina’s statement that it is “gravely concerned” over the government’s decision to allow the Dalai Lama to visit Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang monastery in early April, and that it would “seriously damage” bilateral ties, is unwarranted. It is also an unacceptable escalation of rhetoric over an issue that India and China have engaged with each other on, including during the visit by Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar to Beijing. The controversy over the Tawang area goes back to the Shimla meet of 1914, when the Chinese representatives just initialled, and didn’t sign, a trilateral agreement with British India and Tibet. Later, in 1959, when the current Dalai Lama led Tibet, he came into India through Tawang. He has not visited Arunachal Pradesh since 2009, when he retraced his 1959 journey. On that occasion too, his itinerary had evoked threats from Beijing, but eventually bilateral concerns outweighed them. The Chinese government would do well to not allow tensions with India over the issue of Arunachal Pradesh to spill into other spheres of engagement, and perhaps to also recall its own talks with representatives of the Dalai Lama that broke down after nine rounds in 2010 when it seeks to castigate him and New Delhi for their engagement. Beijing’s objections over access for the Dalai Lama as a spiritual leader to a religious shrine obviously cannot be allowed to intimidate India into restricting his free movement. At the same time, New Delhi must calibrate its moves to avoid misperceptions that it is indulging in political power-play. Recent developments, such as visits to Tawang by American diplomats including the U.S. Ambassador, and an oicial dinner at the U.S. Embassy attended by a Minister and leader of the “Tibetan government in exile” based in Dharamshala, could be interpreted as messages aimed at China, even if they did not signify any policy change. Beijing has been touchy about visiting delegations from Taiwan and the grant of visas to those it perceives as dissident activists. Pinpricks cannot substitute for policy and New Delhi should keep its focus on the major issues between the two countries. The bid for Nuclear Suppliers Group membership and having Masood Azhar placed on the UN terrorists’ list have occupied much of the bilateral canvas, while the larger issue of the boundary resolution hasn’t been addressed adequately. Statements last week from former Chinese special envoy Dai Bingguo, who suggested that lexibility from India over the “eastern boundary” in Arunachal Pradesh could yield lexibility from China over “other areas”, that is, the western boundary in J&K, are signiicant. If the statements are an indication that the 20th round of talks between the special representatives expected this year will see an opening for progress, then that is a more worthwhile goal for New Delhi and Beijing to be preoccupied with. CM YK
measures the value of output created by diferent segments of the economy. Indirect taxes (minus subsidies) are added to it, to arrive at the GDP. The GVA for FY17, as per CSO data, does show a dent from demonetisation. At 6.7%, it has registered a sharp decline of 110 basis points from 7.8% (revised estimate) for FY16. While GVA growth is pretty close to private forecasts, what lifted the GDP is the strong 12.3% surge in indirect taxes that the CSO estimates for this iscal. This is a plausible number, given that the Centre’s indirect tax collections already surged by 25% in April-December 2016, powered by higher excise duty on fuel and service tax. There is no obfuscation here, because assessing the GVA and adding back net taxes is the global prescription for GDP estimation by the output method.
Why so high? First, the sceptics ask, how did the GDP growth for FY17 turn out to be so high? The 7.1% number is unchanged from the CSO’s initial estimates and is also well above the 6.5%-6.8% growth estimated by most private forecasters. Is the CSO implying that vacuuming up 86% of cash in circulation had no impact on the economy? Well, that is a wrong reading of the numbers. To gauge the actual level of economic activity, Gross Value Added (GVA) is the more pertinent number than GDP. The GVA
Too mild? So the CSO does admit that economic activity has been impacted by the note ban. But isn’t it estimating too mild an impact, with the Q3 GVA growth at 6.6%, against 7% last
year? Commentators cite some key indicators to ‘prove’ that economic activity shrank in the note ban months. For instance, two-wheeler sales collapsed by 22% year-onyear in December, banks reported anaemic loan growth at 5%, cement despatches fell by 9% and realtors saw a 40% dip in home sales. But given that the economy is made up of literally hundreds of products and sectors, it is well within the realm of possibility that the economy did well even while these indicators slowed. For instance, for the same December month, steel output grew by 15%, power generation surged by 6% and reinery output expanded 6.4%. If bank credit slumped, companies doubled their borrowings from the bond market. Also, CSO estimates do show that some sectors of the economy took it on the chin in the demonetisation quarter. Manufacturing saw its GVA growth slide from 12.8% in Q3 2015 to 8.3% in Q3 2016. Finance, real estate and services saw growth collapse from 10.4% to 3.1%. Construction weakened from 3.2% to 2.7%.
Informal left out? A third criticism of the CSO estimate is that it fails to capture the performance of the informal economy, which clearly bore the brunt
of the note ban. This criticism is partly valid. Over 40-45% of the Indian economy is informal and hardly any data points relating to it are available at a quarterly frequency. Therefore, what the CSO does to arrive at its quick estimates of the GDP is to take the available data from the organised sector and extrapolate it to infer informal activity. Thus, the GVA for agriculture is guesstimated based on kharif and rabi crop prospects. The GVA for services is inferred from sales tax collections, deposits and credit, telephone connections and so on. Manufacturing GVA uses the index of industrial production and listed company ilings. Owing to such guesswork, it is quite likely that the quarterly GVA estimate, which mainly uses data from the formal sector, painted a rosier picture of growth than the ground reality. But then, if the CSO — with its access to multiple data sources — has no way to estimate the quarterly performance of the informal sector, neither does anyone else. As long as the CSO consistently follows the same method for measuring the informal sector and publicly discloses it, this is the only estimate we have to gauge economic activity. Both the methodology for estimating informal sector performance and GDP revisions are well-documented and disclosed on the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation website. More accurate estimates of what really transpired in the Indian economy post-demonetisation will be available when the CSO publishes its irst revised GDP estimates, with more ground-level data, in January 2018. Until then, critics must follow Keynes’s tenet — when facts change, it is best to change your mind.
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All those who are out of the tax net It is not entirely surprising that only about 3% of Indians pay income tax
Praveen Chakravarty
The Tawang test
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ore than six months after the Constitution was amended to enable the Goods and Services Tax (GST), the Centre and States have managed to ind considerable common ground on the long-debated indirect tax system, overcoming seemingly irreconcilable diferences that cropped up along the way. On Saturday, the GST Council approved inal drafts of the Central and Integrated GST Bills, which should be placed in the public domain as soon as possible. With the law to compensate States already cleared, the only pending legislative negotiation left for the Council, which is expected to meet again on March 16, involves the State and Union Territories’ GST bills. As these bills secure assent from State Assemblies and Parliament, and swiftly, the operational rules for the GST must be readied. Industry would need at least three months after that to prepare for the transition from the present system of myriad State, Central and local levies on goods and services. Moreover, switching to a new indirect tax system in the middle of a inancial year will bring its own subset of accounting complications. The Central government should resist a pushback on the roll-out date, and expedite eforts to ensure everyone is ready to get on board the new system with early clarity on what rates would apply to diferent goods and services. Clearer communication of intent is equally essential. In industry circles, the introduction of a peak 40% tax rate in the GST Bills has set the cat among the pigeons. What started out as a single tax, single market dream for industry has now degenerated into ive tax rates, a cess on top, with additional uncertainty about tax rates. Just as efective excise and customs duties are lower than legally speciied rates, working in a peak rate for the GST could well be justiied. In the current rate structure, a cess has been proposed on luxury and sin goods over and above the highest GST rate of 28%. The cess would inance compensation payouts to States for the irst ive years. After that, it could be replaced with a higher GST rate to retain the same tax treatment on sin goods, without fresh parliamentary approval. But this intent should be stated explicitly and rates must not be tinkered with in the GST’s irst ive years at least. It is still not too late to settle another major worry for industry that strikes at the very heart of enterprise. The GST’s anti-proiteering penal provisions are far too vague and draconian, and could discourage companies from making eiciency improvements in supply chains if they are required to pass on the entire beneit to consumers. Lastly, the Chief Economic Adviser has made an impassioned plea to bring real estate under the GST net, linking it to the war against black money. A road map for eventually bringing such excluded sectors into the GST net could hasten the process.
Aarati Krishnan
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f nearly 127 crore Indians, only 2.6 crore pay income tax. The fact that less than 3% of Indians pay income tax is automatically construed to imply that a large majority avoid paying income tax. The Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley, made a sweeping statement in his Budget speech this year claiming that India is “a tax non-compliant society and too many people evade taxes”. Not only is the perception entrenched that too few pay income taxes but also that most Indians under-report their incomes.
What data say Prime Minister Narendra Modi exclaimed in his New Year’s eve speech that “only 24 lakh Indians reported an income greater than 10 lakh rupees. Who can digest this?” This perception that India is a land of tax avoiders and black money hoarders was irst mooted by former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram who, in his 2013-14 Budget speech, emphatically asserted that “only 42,800 persons admitted to an income of more than Rs.1 crore per year”. The insinuation was that
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The common ground on GST should be accompanied by clarity on the road map
But making up for these was the 6% rebound in agriculture (2.2% shrinkage last year), 6.8% increase in electricity, gas and water supply and a bumper 11.9% hike in ‘public administration, defence and other services’ which lifted the GVA. Agricultural output bounced back due to a good monsoon after consecutive drought years. Electricity generation was up on better coal availability. ‘Public administration’ relects higher government payouts on salaries and pensions after the Seventh Pay Commission. December quarter results from listed companies also provide independent conirmation that the big picture wasn’t much dented by the note ban. A Business Line analysis of over 1,700 listed companies showed that they just reported their best quarterly performance in three years, with sales growing over 9% and proits expanding 20%. Commentary from listed irms suggests that urban discretionary purchases bounced back quickly as consumers switched to digital payments. Commodity industries, helped by global price rebound, did very well this quarter. In some sectors, business shifted from the unorganised to organised players due to digital payments. Analysts also suspect that, in some cases, companies mopped up demonetised notes from their distribution channels and pumped them with inventory instead. (This would show up as ‘sales’ in the company’s books and as ‘output’ in GDP estimates). As the cash situation normalises, these one-ofs should get ironed out, moderating GVA growth for the March quarter. But this doesn’t imply that the Q3 GDP numbers are suspect.
there is massive under-reporting of income. Most readers will perhaps endorse this growing chorus that India has too few honest taxpayers. Except that data belies this claim. That a large majority of Indians are tax dodgers may well be an urban legend. India’s per capita GDP is roughly ₹1 lakh, i.e. the average Indian earns a lakh of rupees every year. Given India’s large income inequality, it can also be inferred that when the average income is ₹1 lakh, a greater majority of Indians earn less than ₹1 lakh while a small number at the top earn large amounts. However, the income tax exemption threshold in India is ₹2.5 lakh, i.e. anyone earning below ₹2.5 lakh need not pay income tax. This implies that only those who earn more than 2.5 times the average income of ₹1 lakh will fall under the tax bracket. When a majority of Indians earn less than ₹1 lakh, an income tax exemption
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR A wave of hate It is a misfortune that Indians living in the U.S. are now facing the music and hate killings are on the rise (“Sikh shot at in Washington”, March 6). How long can the Ministry of External Afairs adopt a wait-and-watch approach? Indians, who are contributing their mite to the U.S. dream, have a right to live in a safe environment. Nickil Akhilesh Krishnan,
and created a sense of safety and security. H.P. Murali, Bengaluru
It is unwise to dismiss the recent attacks as aberrations or one-of incidents. Though nothing can be done at the diplomatic level to arrest the trend immediately, all eforts must be made to ensure the safety of Indians.
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V. Lakshmanan, Tirupur, Tamil Nadu
Watch and be safe The third incident, of an Indian being targeted in the U.S., shows that all is not well as far as foreign nationals are concerned. There is every reason for Indian-Americans to be apprehensive about recurring attacks on ethnic groups. Yelling “go back to your own country” buttresses the point. It is time people at the helm of afairs put an end to the attacks with an iron hand
Global comparisons India is the only large economy with an income tax exemption threshold that is 2.5 times the average national per capita income. In most countries, including in emerging economies such as China, Brazil and Argentina, anyone earning more than half the average national income falls under the income tax bracket. India has increased the income tax exemption threshold on seven occasions, from ₹40,000 to ₹2.5 lakh in the last two decades. Contrast this with China, where the exemption threshold has just doubled from 10,000 yuan to roughly 20,000 yuan in the same period even though average incomes grew
much faster in China than in India. If India lowers its income tax exemption to, say, ₹1 lakh from the current ₹2.5 lakh to be more in line with the rest of the world, nearly 1.5 crore more Indians will fall under the tax bracket. To be clear, such a move will not fetch any meaningful extra tax revenues for the government but will merely bring more people into the tax bracket. It is thus misleading and specious to conclude that India’s small number of taxpayers is entirely a result of some genetic and cultural trait of dishonesty of Indian society at large. Further, the Prime Minister’s claim or Mr. Chidambaram’s assertion is also not peculiar. ₹10 lakh equals 10 times India’s per capita GDP. Even in the much richer United States, only 12.5 lakh people out of nearly 20 crore adults reported an income greater than 10 times the per capita GDP of the U.S. In the United Kingdom, only 2 lakh people out of an adult population of 4 crore reported an income of greater than 10 times the average annual income. Similarly, an annual income of ₹1 crore in India is equal to 100 times the average annual income. What proportion of people in other countries earn more than 100 times the average annual income? Just 43,000 people in the U.S., 5,000 in the U.K. and a few hundred in Canada. The number of people earning 100 times the average national income in most nations is ex-
tremely small. Against this backdrop, out of 68 crore adults in India, 24 lakh people earning more than ₹10 lakh per year or 42,800 earning more than ₹1 crore is not as abnormal as the Prime Minister or Mr. Chidambaram suggest. This is not to imply that there is no tax evasion in India but to say that the number of Indians paying income tax or earning high incomes is not nearly as outlandishly small as claimed.
Political rhetoric Most urban Indians are unable to fathom the scale and size of India’s poverty. Their immediate, lived experiences lure them into this belief that a signiicant majority of Indians earn more than ₹20,000 a month to qualify to pay income taxes. Casting aspersions on all of Indian society solely on the basis of the small number of taxpayers is plain egregious. The political compulsions of such class rhetoric are obvious as it serves as a good alibi for seemingly “tough” actions such as demonetisation. But the Finance Minister’s grand proclamation that India is a tax non-compliant society can be true only if India is much richer than her GDP numbers reveal and is merely hiding behind a veil of feigned poverty. Praveen Chakravarty is Senior Fellow at the IDFC Institute and founding trustee of IndiaSpend. The complete research is available on www.idfcinstitute.org
Letters emailed to
[email protected] must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.
Vashi, Maharashtra
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threshold of ₹2.5 lakh is sure to leave a vast majority out of the tax bracket. We also know from recent research by the National Sample Survey Oice (NSSO) and Peoples Research on India’s Consumer Economy (PRICE) that the average income of the richest 20% of Indians is ₹95,000. This means that even a large majority of the richest 20% of Indians do not qualify to pay income taxes. In this context, it is not entirely surprising that only 3% of Indians pay tax. This is not a function of a large number of Indians avoiding tax, as portrayed, but merely a relection of the fact that India is a terribly poor country with an extremely high income tax exemption threshold.
Not a day passes without news reports on sexual attacks, the molestation of women and child abuse. This in spite of announcements made by governments and police that all precautionary measures have been taken. If despite such surveillance, crime numbers are going up, the main reason could be that punishment is not commensurate with the serious nature of the crimes
committed. One reason could be the interference of the mighty in cases where we ind the accused escaping imprisonment due to money and muscle power. Unless the police apply a uniform yardstick in all such cases and act honestly, and the judiciary shows no mercy, this “malady” can never be contained. Under the circumstances, it is paramount that women and parents of children exercise extreme caution and avoid placing themselves and their children in suspicious circumstances and environments. Tharcius S. Fernando, Chennai
High Ranges in peril The knee-jerk attitude of the Central government in safeguarding the Western Ghats is intriguing while the procrastination in providing a cut-and-dry legal
framework for the protection of “left-over natural assets” is reprehensible (Editorial — “Saving the ghats”, March 6). This is not a simplistic issue of development versus conservation but about the protection of a fragile ecosystem that will afect the present generation and others to come. To make matters worse, the expert committees appointed unfortunately agree to disagree with each other on crucial issues. Ayyasseri Raveendranath, Aranmula, Kerala
The repetitive action of the government in identifying ecologically sensitive areas is a result of two lapses: the lack of involvement of knowledgeable people familiar with the subject, and a lack of complete understanding among government oicials about various degrees of restrictions to be imposed
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on diferent ecologically sensitive areas. R.K. Ojha Chennai
Vive la Viraat INS Viraat as a loating museum would be a much better idea than reducing it to a luxury hotel (“A.P. govt. wants INS Viraat turned into
luxury hotel”, March 6). It would give the layman a clear picture of the Navy’s role. Additionally, its great legacy would be preserved besides inspiring youngsters to join the defence forces. V. Hema Sundar, Bobbili, Andhra Pradesh
more letters online: www.hindu.com/opinion/letters/
corrections & clarifications: In “Sri Lanka’s ‘big match’ syndrome” (Despatches, March 5, 2017), there was a reference to a private Anglican institution — St. Thomas’ College. It is actually S. Thomas’ College. The penultimate paragraph of the Business page story headlined “India-Canada pacts to be progressive: Minister” (March 5, 2017) was erroneously attributed to Canadian International Trade Minister François-Philippe Champagne. Actually, it was meant to be background information. A sentence in “Battling Leptospira at the genome level” (Being page, March 5, 2017) read: “Typically, the pathogens Leptospira interrogans and Leptospira bilexa spread under conditions of stagnant water, lood water, humidity, and proximity between man and beast.” Leptospira bilexa is not a pathogenic but a saprophytic species which does not cause the disease. It is the policy of The Hindu to correct signiicant errors as soon as possible. Please specify the edition (place of publication), date and page. The Readers’ Editor’s office can be contacted by Telephone: +91-44-28418297/28576300 (11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday); Fax: +91-44-28552963; E-mail:
[email protected]; Mail: Readers’ Editor, The Hindu, Kasturi Buildings, 859 & 860 Anna Salai, Chennai 600 002, India. All communication must carry the full postal address and telephone number. No personal visits. The Terms of Reference for the Readers’ Editor are on www.thehindu.com
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THE HINDU
OPED 9
NOIDA/DELHI
TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2017
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Waiting for the silent voters of Uttar Pradesh to speak In an election where political parties have been unable to generate a convincing larger narrative, strategic voters have become crucial to the outcome Neelanjan Sircar, Bhanu Joshi & Ashish Ranjan
At a rural roadside tea shop in Kushinagar district in eastern Uttar Pradesh (U.P.), we strike up a conversation with the owners, a married couple from the Bania community. “I’m leaning towards voting for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). But can the BJP win from here? I like the Samajwadi Party (SP) too,” says the middle-aged man as he makes our tea. His wife interjects, “The SP will win.” The middle-aged man continues, “(BJP leader) Yogi Adityanath has done so much for the area.” His wife looks up from making fresh pakoras, pauses, and quips sarcastically, “Oh yeah, he’s a good man.” The woman seems to have made up her mind, but her husband seems genuinely torn as to whether he will cast his vote for the BJP or the SP, adding, “it’s always good to cast the deciding vote for the winner.” As the election in U.P. comes to a close, it is becoming increasingly clear that it will turn on how individuals like the man in the tea shop will cast their votes. The key to comprehending the ways in which voters make electoral choices is to analyse how voters order the possible parties in front of them, and how voters choose to behave given this ordering-over of parties. An ordering-over of possible parties describes a voter’s most preferred party, secondmost preferred party, and so on, unadulterated by external considerations such as the competitiveness of the candidate. Consider, for instance, a particular voter from the Bania community for whom the BJP is the most preferred party, the SP is the second-most preferred party, and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is the third-most preferred party. We may ask two important questions about this “preference ordering” of possible parties. First, how certain is the voter about this preference ordering; that is, is it plausible for the voter to change the ordering of parties by the day of the vote? Second, is the voter strategic; that is, would the voter still cast a vote for the BJP even if the voter believed the BJP had little chance to win the seat in the constituency?
The floating vote One may distinguish between two types of voters: core voters and floating voters. A core voter is one for whom the preference-ordering of possible parties
Electoral beneit: “Unlike the BJP, which is unlikely to receive votes from Muslims, and the SP, which is unlikely to receive support from a subset of Hindu voters due to its association with the Muslim and Yadav communities, the BSP has the capacity to draw a strategic vote from across the landscape of castes and religions.” Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and U.P. Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, and BSP supremo Mayawati campaigning in U.P. RAJEEV BHATT/ PTI
will not change before the vote, and who will always vote for her top choice. Empirically, in a three-cornered fight like in the U.P. election, these are voters who display a strong emotional connection to one party as well as a strong dislike for another party. This includes, for instance, a Muslim individual who strongly supports the SP and dislikes the BJP, or a Hindu nationalist with a strong BJP preference who is particularly turned off by the SP’s association with Muslims. A floating voter is still uncertain over the preference-ordering of possible parties and is often persuaded by a larger narrative that appeals more broadly. But it seems that all of the major parties are struggling to build such a narrative. As we discussed in our previous article (“Bywords in Bundelkhand”, Feb.28), Akhilesh Yadav’s attempt to rebrand the SP on the basis of broadbased development has been largely undercut by frustrations with local domination by Yadav leaders, the backbone of the SP organisation. This leaves
an opportunity for the BJP to build a larger narrative as the party that does not cater to any specific caste (unlike the SP and the BSP).
Religious polarisation But the BJP may have missed a golden opportunity. Since a commanding performance in the 2014 national election, the BJP has been haemorrhaging supporters in U.P. Rather than building its campaign around Prime Minster Narendra Modi’s appeal as an efficient leader and around larger goals of economic development, which has the power to unite broad swathes of the population, the BJP has once again opted for religious polarisation, as it did during the Bihar Assembly elections in 2015. In a recent speech in Fatehpur, accusing the SP of bias towards the Muslim community, Mr. Modi proclaimed, “If a village makes a kabristan (Muslim burial ground), then a shamshaan (Hindu cremation ground) must be made as well.” Despite being the home for rabble-
rouser and BJP leader Yogi Adityanath, we found little evidence of serious religious polarisation, especially in comparison to western U.P., in the eastern part of the State — commonly referred to as Purvanchal — which brings up the final two phases of the election. The inability to develop any other narrative in this region may prove to be problematic for the BJP. There is a large Bhojpuri-speaking population in these parts, and the social structure in this region of U.P. is similar to western Bihar and quite different from the rest of U.P. Many voters here seem uncertain about whom to support and who will become the largest party in U.P. Just outside Banares Hindu University, we meet an elderly Brahmin shopkeeper branded with a tilak on his forehead, demonstrably a core BJP supporter. He recounts meeting an anxious BJP candidate a few days earlier, noting, “If this candidate is so unsure of himself, how many of our candidates will Mr. Modi realistically be able to help?” Truth be
told, the BJP faithful from the region are far more nervous about the BJP’s prospects than the Delhi-based media.
The strategic vote The standard approach for a party to win in an election involves cultivating enough support among floating voters who, in addition to core supporters, generate a large enough coalition of voters to win the election. In an election where parties have been unable to generate a convincing larger narrative to construct a strong coalition of voters, strategic voters have become more important. Unlike a sincere voter, who always votes her most preferred party, a strategic voter is a voter who is averse to “wasting” a vote on a party that has little chance of winning in the constituency, and, thus, votes for the preferred party among the top two parties in the constituency. The explicit aim of strategic voting is to impact electoral outcomes. In Etawah and Mainpuri, our driver, from the Chaudhuri sub-caste, openly
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declared his intent to vote for the BJP, as he was a great admirer of Mr. Modi and strongly disliked the SP. As he travels with us, he becomes convinced that the BJP has little chance of winning in his home constituency. “I want to vote for the BJP, but I don’t want to waste my vote. Should I vote for the BSP?” After a discussion with other voters about likely outcomes in the constituency, he determines that it is in his best interests to strategically cast his vote for the BSP. Similarly, as we described in detail in a previous piece, most of the Muslim voters we meet in Meerut district are worried about the religious violence that has characterised the region and are willing to support either the SP or the BSP, whichever had a better chance of defeating the BJP. Strategic voting involves a calculation that is typically performed at the last minute, and is thus difficult to ascertain for most political analysts. And, contrary to popular belief, strategic voting is not limited to a particular caste or religion; most voters exhibit some modicum of strategy. Herein lies an electoral benefit for the BSP. Unlike the BJP, which is unlikely to receive votes from Muslims, and the SP, which is unlikely to receive support from a subset of Hindu voters due to its association with the Muslim and Yadav communities, the BSP has the capacity to draw a strategic vote from across the landscape of castes and religions. In particular, the BSP can draw Muslims voters strategically where the BJP is competitive and can draw anti-Yadav and (to some extent) anti-Muslim voters where the SP is competitive. When this is added to a stable group of supporters among the Jatav community (about 11% of the State’s population) and significant vote share among the rest of the Dalit community (another 10% of the State), the strategic vote may be enough to construct a large vote share for the BSP. But in order for the strategic vote to have this sort of impact for the BSP, it must be seen as competitive (i.e., in the top two parties) in a large number of constituencies. The BSP has received little press coverage. But come election day, the BSP’s “silent voters” may help the party pull a surprise. After all, no one ever hears the voices of strategic voters. Neelanjan Sircar, Bhanu Joshi and Ashish Ranjan are ailiated with the Centre for Policy Research in Delhi
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Cost of Internet shutdowns
FIFTY YEARS AGO MARCH 7, 1967
DMK takes oice
Digital India can be a blessing or a curse depending on how we carry our democratic values into this new age
Shortly after the D.M.K. Ministry was sworn in to-day [March 6] at Rajaji Hall [Madras], the Chief Minister, Mr. Annadurai told Pressmen that “some of us” would be going back for Party work. Asked if that would mean some of them leaving the Ministry, he answered in the affirmative. He did not indicate at what stage this would happen. Mr. Annadurai made this remark while explaining that he wanted to appoint Deputy Ministers in order to build up a second line of leadership in the administration. He said he had a panel of names in his mind for appointment as Deputy Ministers “as and when the need arises.” The swearing-in ceremony earlier was a colourful affair. Perhaps for the first time in the history of free India, thousands of people heard the oath-taking by Ministers through loud-speakers which had been installed on the grounds of Rajaji Hall. As the Governor, Sardar Ujjal Singh, administered the oath in English, the Ministers repeated it in Tamil.
Mishi Choudhary and Eben Moglen
GETTY IMAGES/ ISTOCK PHOTO
Digital India is now a reality. Demonetisation has reminded us of the state’s power over essential facilities in the economy and society, while the push towards a cashless India demonstrates the necessity of the mobile Internet for the economy. Family life and human relations in business processes, both within and between irms, are now dependent on the availability of digital communications, which is why the increasing spread of government-imposed Internet shutdowns throughout the country is a matter of concern. The restrictions can cancel peoples’ civil rights, imperil livelihoods, and cost businesses their ability to function. In Digital India, every policy decision about the Internet affects the rights of citizens. In a cashless India — where Aadhaar numbers identify and control all buying and spending — every Indian’s privacy and freedom to participate in the market depends on Internet policies as well as the decisions of the Supreme Court concerning constitutional rights in the face of such policies. Before we can teach ourselves what is at stake, the technical and social “facts on the ground”, now being created at top speed, will have determined the nature of our political, social and economic life for generations to come. SFLC.in has released a real-time map of ongoing Internet shutdowns in India, along with resources for people to report shutdowns afecting them and information on the legalities and economic efects of these shutdowns. We can say, using data collected by SFLC.in and parties around the world, that just between 2014 and the end of 2015, Internet shutdowns cost Indian businesses almost $1 billion.
Insuicient justiications The legal justiications ofered for shutdowns, including the prevention of unlawful assembly, are far too narrow to sustain any measure with this breadth of undesired social consequence. Exigent circumstances may make it “reasonable” in our constitutional order to prohibit certain forms of speech. But a routine assertion of urgency is not suicient justiication for limiting all communications across the economic, educational and private lives of tens of millions of citizens. Another justiication is that this is done to prevent the circulation of rumours. But rumours have been propagated by word of mouth since long before the printing of newspapers, let alone the adoption of the Internet. The rights of technology users, and how to protect them, are the most important issues for the next ive years in India. Living in Digital India can be either a blessing or a curse depending on how we carry our democratic values into this new age. Shutdowns, which are a negative expression of the idea of digital sovereignty, are not just for undemocratic societies any more. How we cope with this issue has much to say about whether Digital India can be, and will be, a positive example to the world. Mishi Choudhary is executive director of Software Freedom Law Center (SFLC), a donor-supported legal services organisation. Eben Moglen is founding-director of SFLC and professor of law and legal history at Columbia University
CM YK
ARCHIVES
A HUNDRED YEARS AGO MARCH 7, 1917
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CONCEPTUAL
ABSTRACT
Indentured labour: protest at Calcutta
Sapir-Whorf hypothesis/ Language
Reforming funding of polls and parties
A largely attended public meeting was held this evening (March 6, Calcutta) at the Town Hall under the presidency of the Hon. Maharaja of Cossimbazar to urge on the Government the immediate abolition of the system of indentured labour. On the motion of Babu Surendra Nath Bannerjee, a resolution was passed demanding abolition of indentured labour in Fiji and other places immediately and unconditionally and in any case before May 31st whether the proposed Conference in London was held or not. Mr. Gandhi spoke in support of the resolution which was carried.
A case for adopting small-donor contributions Sriram Lakshman
Developed by Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf, the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis suggests that language determines thought. The most significant corollary of this is that if some cultures lack words for an idea, they don’t have a concept of that idea. By the 1960s, the hypothesis was in the dustbin of academia because Noam Chomsky’s idea of a ‘universal grammar’ — that all language structures are essentially the same and have to do with our biological make-up — was on the ascendant. However, the Sapir-Whorf idea that Eskimos have six words for ‘snow’, which implies that their mental world is significantly different from that of single-language English speakers, has never gone away. CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
MORE ON THE WEB thehindu.com/opinion
INS Viraat bows out of service http://bit.ly/INSViraatadieu
Election finance reform has once again bobbed up to the surface of public consciousness with debates on black money and the Budget proposal to cap anonymous cash donations to political parties. In their 2012 Election Law Journal paper, “Reforming India’s party financing and election expenditure laws”, M.V. Rajeev Gowda and E. Sridharan present a review of party and election financing in India and suggestions for reform. The results are based on anecdotal rather than empirical evidence and are, therefore, “tentative”. Mr. Gowda and Mr. Sridharan argue that corruption in India has thrived despite some legal and civic will to fight it. They argue that the post-Independence Licence Raj combined with a ban on corporate donations — instituted to prevent corporations from exerting a disproportionate influence on the elections — meant that there were those seeking regulatory favours
from the government and a paucity of electoral funds. A good match, to say the least. By the time corporate donations were legalised in 1985, it was too late. The system had grown used to black money and there were neither tax incentives nor privacy laws to aid corporate donations. While there was some improvement in transparency in the first decade of this century, the system continued to incentivise evasiveness and false declarations. For instance, a 2003 law that capped expenditure by candidates but allowed parties and independent supporters to spend on their behalf meant that candidates were under-reporting expenditure. The Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party, the authors say, were spending four to six times the ceiling. The implications of the current regulatory environment include a dependence on black money due to a lack of public funding, low financial accountability caused by a lack of transparency and demo-
cracy within parties, and the transaction costs of numerous small donations relative to a few large ones. The authors argue that confidentiality of contributions, rather than tax deductions, will help corporations make donations without fear of political reprisal. Raising the ceiling of corporate donations too would help transparent funding. However, to altogether shift away from donations by large corporations or a wealthy few, the authors suggest nudging the system towards many smaller contributions as has been done successfully in a number of countries, such as Canada, France, Germany and the Netherlands. Indirect subsidies and individual offsetting tax credits for political contributions have helped effect this shift. Additionally, parties could receive monies from a public fund in proportion to how much grassroots funding they receive. These policies come with their own risks but are possible steps in the right direction.
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10 NEWS
NOIDA/DELHI
THE HINDU
TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2017
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FROM PAGE ONE
Discharge of Advani, others questioned It lined up a bunch of serious offences, including robbery or dacoity with attempt to commit murder, causing hurt by an act endangering life or safety of others, deterring public servants from doing duty and promoting enmity between different religious groups. The most severe of these offences could get the offender up to 10 years in jail. The second one, Crime no. 198/1992, was registered against 12 persons, including Ashok Singhal, Giriraj Kishore, Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Vishnu Hari Dalmiya,Vinay Katiyar, Uma Bharti and Sadvi Ritambara, who were on the dais at Ram Katha Kunj when the masjid was being demolished. They were accused of promoting enmity, making imputations and assertions prejudicial to national integration and statements conducing to public mischief. Maximum punishment, if found guilty for these offences, was up to five years’ imprisonment. The cases are being tried in courts in Lucknow and Rae Bareilly, respectively. The CBI took over Crime 197 in Lucknow, while 198 remained with the State CID in Rae Bareilly. Eventually 198 also got transferred to the CBI and began being heard in the Lucknow Court. Now with the CBI investigating both crimes as one, a joint charge sheet was filed
on October 5, 1993 accusing Mr. Advani and other top parivar leaders of conspiracy. The CBI charge sheet had alleged that a secret meeting took place at the residence of Katiyar on the eve of the demolition during which the final decision to bring down the disputed structure was taken. The Special Judicial Magistrate and the Additional Sessions Court also found the conspiracy prima facie tenable. However, in February 2001, the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court found a technical error in the manner Crime 198 was transferred to the CBI without consulting the High Court. Though it did not touch upon the conspiracy charge against the top leaders, the High Court asked the Uttar Pradesh government to correct the flaw. Subsequent governments failed to act and Crime 198 finally got detached and returned to Rae Bareilly. On May 4, 2001, Special Judge, Lucknow, Shrikant Shukla dropped the conspiracy charge against Mr. Advani and 20 others on the ground that Crime 197 – the Special Court was only trying this crime – was only regarding the actual demolition and not the hatching of any conspiracy. On May 20, 2010, the Allahabad High Court upheld Judge Shukla’s order while dismissing the CBI’s revision petition.
‘Pak.-based groups behind 26/11 attacks’ “Twenty years later, we continue to push and put our weight on this aspect... to shut down terror camps, to ban all terror groups, prosecute all terrorists under special laws and make cross border terrorism an extraditable offence worldwide.“While the threat of terrorism is transnational, the response does not appear to be coordinated. Even though there is a broad consensus on what constitutes
an act of terror, a formal agreement is missing,” Mr. Parrikar said. The only way to end terrorism was by ending crossborder terrorism, Mohammad Hanif Atmar, National Security Adviser of Afghanistan, said in an apparent reference to Pakistan. “Let’s designate individuals sponsoring terrorism and hiding behind states.” (With inputs from PTI)
Abortion racket busted in Sangli The foetuses were discovered after several hours of excavating by JCB machines, Mr. Shinde added. The illegal abortions were allegedly carried out in the ground floor of the clinic. The police raid yielded a number of surgical instruments and other equipment not related to homoeopathy. A register with names and addresses of patients has also been seized.
Husband held Meanwhile, Praveen Jamdade, Swati Jamdade’s husband, has been taken into custody after her family lodged a complaint with the police. According to sources, the deceased was taken to Khidrapure’s clinic by her
husband for abortion after illegal pre-natal tests revealed a female feotus. The couple had two girl children. Swati Jamdade’s kin have alleged that her in-laws forced her to go in for an abortion. “He [Praveen Jamdade] went ahead with the illegal operation despite my objections, causing my daughter’s death,” an angry and upset Sunil Jadhav, Swati’s father, said. A case has been registered against both Praveen Jamdade and Mr. Khidrapure under Sections 302 and 204 (destruction of evidence) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Pre-Conception and PreNatal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, 1994 among others.
SC questions govt. on deposit of old notes Legal Correspondent NEW DELHI
The Supreme Court on Monday asked the government to respond why it went back on its promise to extend the date of deposit of demonetised notes to March 31, 2017. A Bench of Chief Justice of India J.S. Khehar, D.Y. Chandrachud and S.K. Kaul gave the government time till Friday to respond to a bunch of petitions filed by companies and individuals that the Specified Bank Notes (Cessation of Liabilities) Ordinance, promulgated on December 13, 2016, penalised those who deposited demonetised money after December 31, 2016. The petitioners said the CM YK
Prime Minister’s speech on November 8, 2016 announcing the demonetisation scheme and the subsequent Reserve Bank of India notification on the same night had both promised that citizens would be able to deposit demonetised notes beyond the cut-off date of December 31, 2016 till March 31, 2017 in case they were caught in a genuine predicament and were unable to do so by December 31, 2016. In its order, the Bench highlighted the petitioners’ main prayer that despite the explicit postulation that the final date of deposit would be extended till March 31, 2017, “no individual was allowed to deposit after December 31, 2016.”
Mamata writes to Sushma
Now, U.S.-style attacks in NZ
SPecial correspondent
Press Trust of India
Kolkata
MELBOURNE
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday, expressing concern over the attacks on and “death of young Indians” in the U.S. “It is a matter of great concern and my heart goes out to... their family members. Since the number of Indians studying, working, living in the U.S. is very large, such incidents are causing a situation of panic among their family members in India,” Ms. Banerjee said, sharing the extracts of her letter on social media. The CM pointed out that she had requested the Minister to ensure the matter “is taken up at the highest level, so that these types of incidents do not recur and the Indians living in the U.S. feel safe and secure.” This is not the first time Ms. Banerjee has spoken out against the violence on Indians in the U.S.
An Indian national in New Zealand was assaulted, subjected to a racist tirade and told to go back to his own country during a road rage incident in Auckland, a media report said on Monday. Narindervir Singh said he was filming from inside his vehicle when the incident happened on a weekday last week. “I gave him space ... that lady gave me the finger. He was driving that car [pointing to a white Holden] and now he’s trying to threaten me, giving me bad names,” Mr. Singh says in a video which was being streamed live on Facebook. After Mr. Singh informed the driver that he is uploading the video live, the situation escalated and Mr. Singh was abused, sworn at and told to go back to his own country. The suspect, who is seen in the video wearing a grey T-shirt, was tail-gating, ac-
Indian national assaulted, sworn at and told to go back to his own country
Alok Madasani, who escaped the attack in Kansas, and his wife during a prayer vigil for Srinivas Kuchibhotla. The New Zealand incident comes in the wake of the hate crimes in the U.S. AFP
cording to Mr. Singh, who said he simply pulled over to let him pass. The man also made derogatory remarks about Punjabi people, Newshub said in a report. As Mr. Singh drove off, the abuser exposed himself. “It really shocked me and after he [left], I was really shaken,” Newshub quoted Mr. Singh as saying. “I don’t know what to do, it really hurts my heart... The
first thing in my mind was that he might hurt me with some weapon.” When Mr. Singh left, he assumed it was all over. But when he parked on a nearby side street, he says the white Holden pulled up once again and the racist rant continued. Another man, Bikramjit Singh, suffered similar abuse last week as he left a Papatoetoe storage facility. A man, who claimed Mr.
An IS slave lives to tell the tale Lamiya, a Yazidi from Iraq, recalls her horriic captivity, and hopes for justice and resold several times and taken to Syria. She even attempted suicide by cutting her veins. Ms. Bashar remembered coming across an Indian who made bombs and suicide vests. He was there to blow himself up. In April 2016, one of her uncles paid $7,500 to some smugglers to get her freed. She set out with two other girls to escape into Kurdishcontrolled territory when tragedy struck. One of the girls stepped on a land mine. In the explosion, Ms. Bashar nearly lost one eye while the other two girls were killed. In December, she got the annual Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought from the European Parliament.
New Delhi
through, and hoped the IS would be punished.
Lamiya Aji Bashar was 15 when she was abducted from her village in Iraq and forced into slavery by the Islamic State. That was on August 3, 2014. For the next 20 months, she was taken across various places in Syria and Iraq, tortured and abused till she managed to escape in April 2016. Ms. Bashar is one of the several women and girls of the Yazidi community, a religious minority in Iraq, enslaved and subjected to heinous physical and sexual assaults by IS men in the selfdeclared Islamic Caliphate across Iraq and Syria. Ms. Bashar, now 18, has been campaigning against
the atrocities on the Yazidi community and the continued enslavement of women and children by the IS. On Monday, addressing the Asian Security Conference organised by the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses here, she recounted the horror she went
Massacre in the village Narrating the experience of her village, Kocho, near Sinjar in Iraq, Ms. Bashar said that immediately after the attack on the village, IS fighters rounded up and killed all the men and captured the women and children. Later, the older women were separated and killed. Nearly 400 men and 80 women were killed, she said. “They took me and my sister to Mosul. Then one fighter from Saudi Arabia brought me and my sister. He raped us repeatedly and after two days brought us to the same place,” Ms. Bashar said. Later, she was separated from her sister and was sold
Medanta’s air ambulance crash-lands
India issues advisory for citizens travelling to Brazil
Staff Reporter
Warning issued after protests claim more than 100 lives
Dinakar Peri
Gurugram
The pilot of an air ambulance of Medanta Hospital was killed after the aircraft caught fire and crashlanded near Bangkok. Two of the four other members on board sustained serious injuries. The deceased pilot has been identified as Arunaksha Nandy. While Dr.Shailendra and Dr.Komal are in the Intensive Care Unit, the other two have sustained minor injuries. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in a series of tweets late on Monday evening said that the injured were shifted to Bangkok Hospital by Army Helicopters.
Lamiya Aji Bashar
Special Correspondent NEW DELHI
Taking note of the worsening law and order situation in Brazil, India on Monday issued an advisory for citizens to follow local rules. The advisory came in view of the protests and riots that have been going on since January. “Indian citizens visiting Rio de Janerio, Brazil are requested to monitor local media and follow the guidance of local authorities. In case they need consular assistance, they are requested to contact the Embassy of India in Brasilia at +55-6132484006 or the Consulate General of India in Sao Paulo
Prisoners during a riot in Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. AFP
at +55-11-32793780,” stated an advisory from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). Sources said that the advisory was issued as a measure of “abundant pre-
caution”. The advisory was issued after the prison riots and other protests claimed more than 100 lives so far. The riot which began with a grisly beheading of several convicts in a major prison of the country had been blamed on overcrowded prisons and rising gang warfare in the country. Law and order has been a problem for Brazil which witnessed change of government last year. This is the first time in recent years that India has issued an advisory for citizens travelling to Brazil. The advisory also urged citizens to contact Indian missions over email.
Bikramjit was speeding, yelled at him, saying: “Go back to your country — slow down! You know what the speed limit is here.” He said he wasn’t speeding, was a New Zealand citizen and has lived here for more than a decade. The man, who hurled abuse in that case ended up apologising in an email, blaming two alcohol beverages he’d consumed earlier that day.
Discrimination rises But those who work with migrants have said such discrimination appears to be increasing. “We are seeing it much more openly which is a very serious concern,” said Anu Kaloti from the Migrant Workers Association. “I think societies are becoming more and more intolerant, especially since [Donald] Trump was elected President of the U.S.” Both men have filed complaints with police.
SC refuses to grant relief to Prajapati Legal Correspondent New Delhi
The Supreme Court on Monday declined to grant any relief to Uttar Pradesh Minister Gayatri Prajapati, who is evading arrest in an alleged gang rape case, while taking exception to how its order to register an FIR against the fugitive minister had been given a “political colour.” A Bench headed by Justice A.K. Sikri clarified that it had only ordered the Uttar Pradesh police to lodge an FIR against Mr. Prajapati in cases of alleged gang rape and attempt to rape a woman and her daughter and was not monitoring these cases. Meanwhile the Minister’s personal security officer Chandrapal Singh has been arrested in Lucknow. “We are interrogating him on the whereabouts of the Minister,” Additional Superintendent of Police (East) Shivram Yadav said. (With PTI inputs)
Chinese media warns of souring relations Tells India not to leverage Dalai Lama Atul Aneja Beijing
An op-ed in the Global Times, a leading Chinese daily, affiliated with the flagship People’s Daily, has warned India not to leverage the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan leader in exile, as a bargaining chip to shape ties with China. The daily cited India’s decision to allow the Dalai Lama to visit Arunachal Pradesh next month, despite China’s objections to the visit, as a step that “will inevitably trigger confrontation, undermine the stability of the region and sour Sino-Indian relations”. Last week, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang had asserted that, “The Indian side knows very well the seriousness of the Dalai issue and the sensitiveness of the boundary question.” The Global Times, quoting Indian media reports cited unnamed officials in India as saying that the Dalai Lama was visiting Arunachal Pradesh — the State over which India and China have a border dispute — in his capacity as “Tibetan spiritual leader”, and were
surprised by Beijing’s newfound “sensitivities” as Tibetan leader had undertaken numerous such visits earlier. In its response the daily said: “These Indian officials apparently didn’t realise, or deliberately ignored, the severe consequences the Dalai Lama’s trip would bring.”
‘Dalai card ineffective’ The op-ed highlighted that an “increasing number of Western leaders have shut the door on the Dalai Lama in recent years after realising the Dalai card is ineffective”. “In the wake of a string of counter-measures by China, Mongolia’s government pledged to extend no more invitations to the Dalai Lama in late December. Against such a backdrop and at a time when a China-India strategic dialogue was just held to improve bilateral relations, the decision to receive the Dalai Lama in the disputed region is unwise. Leveraging the Dalai Lama issue to undermine Beijing’s core interests risks dragging the two countries into a state of hostility,” the article said.
Jawan kills self in J&K Special Correspondent Srinagar
An Army personnel posted along the Line of Control (LoC) shot himself dead with a service rifle on Sunday, in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir. According to an Army official, sepoy Roshan Singh, 35, committed suicide by using his service weapon while on duty along the LoC in Krishnagati belt of
Poonch district. A resident of Punjab, Mr. Singh joined the Army 14 years ago. Police have registered a case and started their probe. In the past two weeks, this is the second such attempt by an Army personnel. On February 25, BSF constable Pramodh Kumar committed suicide by shooting himself with his service rifle in Poonch.
Kejriwal questioned my integrity, says Jaitley Finance Minister has sued the Delhi CM for defamation over allegations of inancial mismanagement in DDCA Akanksha Jain New Delhi
Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who has sued Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a ₹10 crore defamation suit for allegations of financial mismanagement in the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA), was on Monday cross-examined by senior lawyer Ram Jethmalani before the Delhi High Court. The BJP leader said he never complained against “political criticism”, but “it was for the first time when personal imputations questioning my integrity were made”. Mr. Jaitley was cross-examined for over three hours by Mr. Jethmalani, appearing for Mr. Kejriwal, who asked when he felt an irreversible and unquantifiable damage had been caused to his reputation and if the suit had been led by personal feeling about “your own greatness”. On whether it was his “in-
ner logic” on loss of reputation, the BJP leader said, “A person’s reputation operates in the public space and so does the loss of reputation. In addition, it causes pain and mental distress to the person defamed, which it did in my case.”
Denies meeting Chetan In his cross-examination before Joint Registrar Amit Kumar, Mr. Jaitley also denied having ever met IAS officer Chetan Sanghi, who once headed the DDCA probe panel and made him go back on his report indicting him and others in lieu of a central deputation. When Mr. Jethmalani suggested that Mr. Jaitley and his government had influenced Chetan Sanghi, the BJP leader said it was wrong to suggest the same and also it was wrong to say that he or his government was not happy with the report made by the officer.
tation and did he try to contradict the allegations in the public space but failed. Some of the questions that Mr. Jethmalani posed to the BJP leader were: Since how long in the politics of this country you have known defendant no. 1 (Kejriwal)
Arun Jaitley
Ram Jethmalani
Mr. Jaitley had filed a defamation suit against Mr. Kejriwal for accusing him of a role in financial mismanagement at the DDCA, which he headed for 13 years till 2013. To a question, Mr. Jaitley said he had heard of media reports about a CBI raid on the office of a bureaucrat (Rajendra Kumar, Principal Secretary to the CM) but added, “It appears that the defendants [Kejriwal and others] made the statement that
the BJP was behind this raid as their effort was to deflect the attention from the raid.” The cross-examination was briefly interrupted with the lawyers for Mr. Kejriwal and the Delhi government objecting to counsel for Mr. Jaitley leading him. Most of the 50-odd questions put to Mr. Jaitley on Monday revolved around what made him feel that the statement made by the Chief Minister had caused irretrievable damage to his repu-
I have known about Defendant no. 1 during the last one decade on account of his political and public activities. At no time, def no. 1 has made any statement against you prior to the one mentioned in the plaint. What do you have to say?
He could have made political statements critical of me in the past, some of which I remember but not statements relating to imputations of personal integrity against me. What is the meaning of the
word ‘unquantifiable damage’ used by you in the plaint?
I believe that considering my stature, background and reputation, the loss caused to me and my reputation was so enormous that it could be considered unquantifiable. In other words, it was your own personal feeling about your greatness that it cannot be quantified in fiscal measure. What do you have to say?
My view about my own reputation was based on what my friends, well-wishers and other people both privately and in the media, who had expressed an opinion on this subject.
Court intervenes Another question pertaining to difference between goodwill and reputation and a suggestion that even a crook enjoys goodwill, was disallowed by the court. ND-ND
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THE HINDU
NEWS 11
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IN BRIEF
With new math, BJP plans long-term In U.P., the party wants its formula of ‘OBC minus Yadav plus traditional upper castes’ to run till 2019 Nistula Hebbar NEW DELHI
‘Lathamar Holi’ celebrated in Barsana MATHURA
The traditional ‘Lathamar Holi’ started with pomp at Barsana village here on Monday, as couples celebrated the festival with utmost zeal amid tight security. The annual eventis welcomed with enthusiasm and historical pride. - PTI
Campaign for second phase ends in Manipur IMPHAL
Campaigning for the second and final phase of elections in Manipur ended on Monday afternoon. Polling in 22 constituencies will be held on Wednesday. The first phase was on March 4. Two chief ministerial candidates are in the fray in the final phase — incumbent Okram Ibobi Singh and human rights activist Irom Sharmila.
Blockade illegal, says Manipur High Court IMPHAL
The Manipur High Court, in a ruling on March 3, declared that the continuing economic blockade imposed by the United Naga Council since November 1 is “illegal.” The blockade was launched to protest against the formation of new districts. The Bench said the blockade “is obstructing the progress of the State.”
‘No denotified or nomadic tribe in Tripura’ AGARTALA
Tripura does not have any denotified and nomadic tribes. All 19 indigenous clans of the State are integrated in the list of Schedule Tribes, officials of the Tribal Welfare department told a team from the National Commission of Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes, which was on a three-day visit to Agartala to identify the marginalised tribes in Tripura.
As the end of the long, multiphase Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh is now in sight, the BJP awaits not just the outcome of the polls but also the results of its social engineering strategy. Much rides on the strategy, which, if successful, could be a model for the Lok Sabha elections in 2019. The strategy can be summed up from the images in the party’s posters across the State — Prime Minister Narendra Modi with party president Amit Shah, State unit president Keshav Prasad Maurya and Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Uma Bharti and Kalraj Mishra. While Mr. Modi and Mr. Shah effectively run party affairs, it is the projection of the others that is revealing. Mr. Maurya and Ms. Bharti are from the Other Backward Classes, though not the Yadav community, which is often seen as cornering much of the entitlements that accrue to the section. “The BJP has given over 150 seats to non-Yadav OBCs out of the 383 seats it is fight-
Strategists at work: BJP chief Amit Shah, party leader Keshav Prasad Maurya and BJP national general secretary Anil Jain during a road show in Allahabad. PTI ing. Its ally Apna Dal too represents the non-Yadav OBC community of Kurmis and has been given 11 seats. Another ally, the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party, is contesting nine seats. The party claims to command the support of the Rajbhar community, an OBC group that has been demanding in-
EC notice to Akhilesh for abetting ‘bribery’ Special Correspondent New Delhi
The Election Commission on Monday issued a notice to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav for allegedly abetting the offence of bribery during a speech in Bhadohi on March 4. During a public meeting, Mr. Yadav said that he had heard that money was being distributed. He asked the voters to accept the money, but to keep the “cycle” (Samajwadi Party symbol) in mind. The EC issued the notice after a report from the
State Chief Electoral Officer on Sunday. He has been asked to respond by March 7. The EC said bribing or abetment of bribery of electors is an offence under Section 171E of the Indian Penal Code and also a corrupt practice under Section 123 (1) of the Representation of the People Act and thus, in the EC’s view, his statement violated Model Code of Conduct provisions. The Commission had earlier got an FIR registered against Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on a similar charge.
‘Adig’ at it again, in the fray for the umpteenth time A man of many parts in Varanasi contests polls on a whim Omar Rashid VARANASI
The Rashtriya Manav Adhikar Raksha Samiti’s office is located near the Varuna Bridge, named after one of the two rivers, Varuna and Assi, from which Varanasi is believed to have got its name. An unattended door gives passage to the office, a messy, dimly lit arrangement. “World Guinness Book, where are you looking? Adig’s amazing life story is right here,” a poster in Hindi reads. Narendra Nath Dubey, whose supporters call him Adig, or the undeterred, is a criminal lawyer-cum-poet, also a practitioner of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. But what makes him popular is his activism and his commitment to elections.
Of 1984 vintage Since 1984, he has fought every election possible: to Assembly, Legislative Council and Parliament. Mr. Adig
Narendra Nath Dubey
has even filed his nomination for the President’s post on four occasions. This time he is contesting two seats: Varanasi South and Varanasi North. “All candidates should consider my long struggle and on moral grounds allow me to win,” says Mr. Adig, bursting into laughter. Though Independent contestants are not very successful — in 2012, only six won in U.P. — they add to the elections shades that the mainstream parties lack. Mr. Adig brings in an unusual flavour. He is fighting with the
support of a less-known orthodox Hindu party, the Ram Rajya Parishad, which though non-existent today, won three Lok Sabha seats in the 1952 elections. So what is Adig fighting for? A Ram Rajya, unlike the Hindu Rashtra propagated by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). “Our version will be solely focused on preserving religious sanskriti (culture), justice and truth,” he says. But his main promise to voters is to relieve them of “stress”, which he believes is the biggest cause of crime and wrongful acts. Mr. Adig tells voters that he has a ‘Viraat Kashi’ plan to change the face of the city. Understandably, he has not done too well in the elections, forfeiting his deposit every time. He also contested against Mr. Modi in the 2014 Lok Sabha election with the symbol of a letter box. He says he has no memory of the losses. “I believe in hope,” Mr. Adig says. “I am an ashavadi.”
clusion in the Scheduled Caste category. They make up nearly 18% of the population in eastern Uttar Pradesh,” a senior leader said.
Weaning away A large part of the BJP’s strategy, therefore, appears to be to wean away the nonYadav OBC groups from
parties such as the Samajwadi Party (SP) that claim to represent them. “The appointment of Mr. Maurya as State unit chief is a clear signal that it is the BJP that is ready to truly empower these communities rather than the SP that only allows them to trail in the wake of a dominant Yadav
group,” the leader said. This group has a presence of nearly 13-14% floating vote across the State. “Without them, the SP will only have the Yadav vote bank, with Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) too poaching the Muslim vote,” he said. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Small and Medium Enterprises Minister Kalraj Mishra represent the traditional upper caste vote bank of the BJP, namely, the Thakurs and Brahmins. The party has given 65 seats to Thakurs and 64 to Brahmins. “We are, of course, depending a lot on the personal charisma of Prime Minister Modi, but this is the nuts and bolts of our social architecture. If we win on March 11, it will be a historic transformation of the BJP from being a Bania-Brahmin party to one that will have made a significant dent into the ‘givens’ of Lohiaite politics espoused by the socialists in the one State that hugely matters,” he said. For 2019 too, this would be the social coalition that the BJP would espouse. Much will be decided on March 11.
Kingisher’s prime assets go begging Not a single bid received for auction Press Trust of India Mumbai
Two prime properties of the defunct Kingfisher Airlines, owned by the fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya, found no buyers even in the auction held on Monday. A 17-lender consortium, led by the State Bank of India, could not find buyers for Kingfisher House here and Kingfisher Villa in Goa even after reducing the reserve prices by nearly 10 per cent to ₹103.5 crore and ₹73 crore, respectively. The airline, grounded since 2012, owes thousands of crores of rupees in unpaid loans to the banks. Kingfisher House, the erstwhile headquarters of the airline, did not find buyers for the fourth time, and the Goa villa for the third time. “Although there were enquiries for both assets, no bids were received,” a source said. Mr. Mallya escaped to the U.K. on March 3, 2016 and has not returned despite
Vijay Mallya
summonses. The banks have initiated recovery proceedings for unpaid loans, some even declaring him a “wilful defaulter”. In tweets last week, Mr. Mallya blamed faulty aircraft engines as one of the reasons for the collapse of Kingfisher Airlines. Kingfisher House, with a built-up area of over 17,000 sq.ft, is located in Vile Parle, near the domestic airport terminal. The sea-facing Kingfisher Villa had been the venue of numerous lavish parties hosted by Mr. Mallya. The businessman owes over Rs. 9,000 crore to various banks.
Modi steers BJP in high-stakes polls Result will relect his popularity, especially after the high-risk move of demonetisation tural projects and welfare schemes, which together with his tech savvy image form “Brand Akhilesh” beyond the Muslim-Yadav combine associated with the SP.
Omar Rashid Varanasi
Fighting without a CM face, the BJP’s campaign in Uttar Pradesh, which came to an end on Monday, has revolved around Prime Minister Narendra Modi — his image, popularity, development model and the underlying message of Hindutva in the later stages, best reflected in his “shamshaan ghat-kabristan” speech in Fatehpur. Mr. Modi held close to twodozen rallies across the State. For the Prime Minister, the election to the 403-seat State Assembly is especially important, as the result would reflect his popularity, especially after the high-risk move of demonetisation. A victory will help him consolidate the country’s most populous State ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha polls while a loss or anything less than an outright majority will be a direct reflection on the PM and his poll manager, Amit Shah, who has assiduously worked to bring the numerically significant nonYadav backwards and non-
Last lap: Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets BJP supporters during his road show in Varanasi on Monday. PTI/TWITTER
Jatav Dalits under the BJP fold.
Out on his own Incumbent Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav also had a busy last day of campaigning — addressing seven back-toback rallies in Jaunpur, which abuts Varanasi. For Mr. Yadav, the election is also
a personal challenge, as he stepped out from his father’s shadow and reconstructed his image to emerge as the supreme leader of the party. With the theme of “Kaam Bolta Hai, [deeds speak louder]”, the thrust of SP president and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav’s campaign was to pitch his infrastruc-
Justifies alliance A loss for Mr. Yadav would raise questions over his decision to stage a coup against his father and oust his uncle Shivpal, while also putting in the doubt the credibility of the alliance with the Congress. The Chief Minister continued to take pot shots at Mr. Modi over his extensive campaign in Varanasi, where the entire Central government team has been camping for the past few days, and interpreted it as a sign of nervousness. BSP chief Mayawati, who completed her tours over the weekend, held a press conference in Lucknow and exuded confidence that her party would return to power. After losing the 2012 State elections and facing humiliation in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Ms. Mayawati’s plans were rocked in the early
stages with desertions of key leaders, including top OBC names, but she always maintained that would not impact her fortunes. “Behenji ko aane do [let Behenji (Mayawati) come],” her supporters chanted on social media, as the BSP for the first time experimented on the interactive platform. She has staked much on the Dalit-Muslim combine, allotting as many as 99 ticket to the minority community, the highest ever by any party. Polling for the final 40 seats will be held on Wednesday [another seat in Ambedkarnagar will vote on Thursday as one of the candidates had died during election]. The districts are Ghazipur, Varanasi, Mirzapur, Bhadohi, Sonbhadra, Jaunpur and Chandauli. In the last phase, the SP is fighting 31 seats, while its ally, Congress, is contesting nine. The BJP is fighting 32, leaving eight for its allies, while the BSP is fighting all 40. A total 1.4 crore people will decide the fate of 535 candidates.
EC cleared 97 government proposals within 48 hours It received 179 requests between January 4 and March 2 Devesh K. Pandey NEW DELHI
The Election Commission has cleared within 48 hours about half of the 179 government proposals submitted to it for approval as mandated under the Model Code of Conduct. Till March 2, the Commission had cleared 97 proposals within 48 hours. The proposals were put up for approval within three hours of receiving them, said an EC official. According to the EC, the 179 proposals were received between January 4 and March 2. Twenty-four of these were cleared the same CM YK
day and 34 within a day. It took three days for the Commission to approve 25 proposals, four days for 24 and five days for four proposals.
Digi Dhan Melas The highest number of 12 proposals came from the Health Ministry, 10 from the Drinking Water & Sanitation Ministry and nine from the Rural Development Ministry. On a proposal to allow participation by Central Ministers in Digi Dhan Melas that were to be organised in 100 cities across the country to popularise the use of digital transactions, the Commission asked the Niti Aayog to
hold the melas in five pollbound States after the polls. The Commission told Niti Aayog to defer the release of ₹79.83 crore to Uttar Pradesh as a one-time grant towards previously sanctioned projects under Bundelkhand Package during 2016-17. The Rural Development Ministry had sought approval for the release of the first instalment to Goa under the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana for 2016-17. The Commission said it could be done after the elections. It turned down the proposal for publishing Water Resources Ministry ads in five Ganga basin States. ND-ND
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ELSEWHERE
Trump signs ‘Muslim Ban 2.0’ order New travel ban applies to 6 countries but excludes Iraq; green card, visa holders to be unafected Varghese K. George Washington
Germany rejects Erdogan’s claims BERLIN
German Chancellor Angela Merkel called for calm on Monday in an escalating dispute with Turkey, a day after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan labelled a German ban on rallies by his Ministers as “Nazi practice”. While irmly rejecting Mr. Erdogan’s claims as “absurd and out of place”, Ms. Merkel’s oice sought to draw a line under the dispute that is weighing on already frayed ties. AFP
Pyongyang to expel Malaysian Ambassador SEOUL
North Korea said on Monday it would expel Malaysia’s Ambassador after its own envoy was ordered out of the Southeast Asian nation, in an increasingly bitter row over the assassination of Kim Jong-nam at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. The report came shortly after the North’s Ambassador Kang Chol flew home from Kuala Lumpur. AFP
30 dead in fighting along China-Myanmar border YANGON
At least 30 people were killed on Monday in a day of intense fighting in a town on Myanmar’s border with China, authorities said, after rebels dressed in police uniforms launched a surprise raid. The clashes are some of the worst to break out in the Chinese-speaking Kokang region. AFP
Juppe not to stand for French presidency BORDEAUX
Former French Prime Minister Alain Juppe said on Monday he had decided “once and for all” not to stand in France’s presidential election, dashing the hopes of many in his conservative party whose scandal-hit candidate Francois Fillon faces defeat. REUTERS
The Donald Trump administration issued a new executive order on Monday, temporarily banning travel from six Muslim-majority countries to the U.S, after an earlier order ran foul of the country’s judiciary. The new executive order bans travel from six countries — Sudan, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen, leaving out Iraq among countries that was in the earlier order’s list. In an attempt to pass the judicial scrutiny, the order says that current visa and green card holders from these countries will not be affected. It also explains the basis for including the six countries, trying to remedy a lacuna in the earlier version. Further, it avoids the preferential treatment offered to Christian refugees in the earlier order. “Here we go again... Muslim Ban 2.0,” Congressman Andre Carson responded. “Courts across the country have made clear: President Trump is not above the Constitution. While the White House may have made changes to the ban, the intent to discriminate against Muslims remains clear,” New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman, said, offering to take the issue to the courts again. “We do not make the law, but are sworn to enforce it. We have no other option,” said Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly, at a press conference to announce the presidential decision. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Attorney-General Jefferson Sessions were also present. “The order is completely lawful,” said Mr. Sessions. The new order will not come into effect until March 16, in contrast to the earlier order that became effective immediately. There will be a
90-day ban on the issuance of new visas for citizens of these six countries, and the refugee programme will be suspended for 120 days. The number of refugees to be admitted this year has been reduced to 50,000 from the 1,10,000 cap set by the Obama administration. The order said each of the six countries was either a “state sponsor of terrorism, has been significantly compromised by terrorist organisations or contains active conflict zones”. It also gives country-wise details, justifying the inclusion of each and also explains the exclusion of Iraq. “Iraq presents a special case. Portions of Iraq remain combat zones,” the order said, but added that the country’s commitment to “combating [IS] justify a different treatment“
Special correspondent
The suspension of premium processing of H-1B visa does not indicate any change in the U.S. policy on work visas, a leading immigration attorney in the U.S capital said. The U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has suspended premium processing in the past also, to clear the backlog of H-1B petitions, said Aparna Dave, in an interview to The Hindu.
85,000 H-1B per year Premium processing involves a USCIS commitment to respond on a particular petition within 15 days, for an extra fee. USICS processes more than 85,000 new H-1B visas. The agency has to process amendments
Washington
The portrayal of Hinduism in a CNN show broadcast on Sunday night has drawn strong protests from many Indian-American groups, who found it negative and devoid of adequate understanding of the religion. An episode on aghoris in the CNN serial ‘Believer’, made by religious scholar Reza Azlan, had graphic images of the marginal sect’s practices. “Eating human corpses? How far would you go to prove your faith? Enter the world of the aghori,” the CNN said in a tweet promoting the show.
Not much change: U.S. President Donald Trump signing the earlier executive order on January 27. REUTERS
and extensions of people who are already in the U.S. on H-1B visas. “As the number of H-1B visa holders in the U.S is increasing every year, the time taken for processing extensions and amendments has shot up in the last couple of years, Ms. Dave said. “Therefore, companies and employees started taking the premium route. An increasing number of premium processing applications further slows down the regular processing, as more and more people pay extra to get the case processed within 15-days, diverting the USICS manpower,” she said. The emphasis on premium processing has stretched the time USICS takes for normal processing of extensions, and these
days it is nearing 240 days, the maximum number of days an H-1B visa holder can work in the U.S while waiting for an extension. The USICS has said on Saturday that it was suspending premium processing to clear long-pending cases.
Not linked to Trump Ms. Dave said the suspension of premium processing is not linked to Trump administration, but the panic among H-1B holders and companies have resulted in spike in premium petitions in recent months. “Suspension is an internal decision of the USCIS and it does not signal any policy change. However, due to the change in the administration there has been a preference for filing H-1B petitions under the
U.S. assures India of speedy justice Attack on Deep Rai in Washington State is being investigated as a hate crime, say police an incident of hate crime, according to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. She had quoted the father of the victim to say that it was a “family tragedy”. Meanwhile, Washington Senator Maria Cantwell and Indian-American Congressman from California Ami Bera were among those who condemned the attack on Mr. Rai.
Varghese K. George Washington
The U.S. State Department has assured Indian Ambassador to the U.S. Navtej Sarna that it was working with all agencies concerned to ensure speedy justice following the violence that has targeted Indian Americans over the last fortnight. Since February 22, three incidents targeting Indian Americans have claimed the lives of two and injured two. In the latest incident on Friday night in Kent, Washington State, 39-year old Deep Rai was shot at by a masked gunman who shouted at him to “go back to your country”. The incident is being investigated as a hate crime and the victim’s statement is “absolutely credible”, said the police chief of Kent. “Mr. Sarna conveyed deep concerns to the U.S. government on recent tragic incidents and… underlined the need to prevent such incid-
Tackling hate crimes: Sikh men in Bellevue, Washington State, take part in a vigil in honour of Srinivas Kuchibhotla. REUTERS
ents and protect Indian community,” the Indian embassy in Washington said. Last Thursday, Indian American convenience store owner Harnish Patel was found murdered in Lancaster, South Carolina.
Pak. to temporarily open border crossing To allow stranded Afghans to go home
Earlier, on February 22, engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla was shot dead in Olathe, Kansas and his friend Alok Madasani was injured. A 29-year old Indian man had also died in New Jersey last week, but this was not
FBI investigation “This disturbing crime is an outrage that goes against everything we stand for as a nation of immigrants. On the heels of the Kansas shooting, crimes motivated by hate are on the rise. Xenophobia and racism have no place in America, and we as a nation need to stand up to these hate crimes — starting with the President. Thankfully, the victim is recovering, and my thoughts and prayers are with him and his family,” Mr. Bera said. “Thoughts and prayer go
out to the Sikh man shot in Kent. I stand with the Sikh community and condemn these acts,” said Ms. Cantwell. The FBI is investigating the Kent incident and the shooting in Kansas as hate crimes. The FBI swiftly accepted the demand by Sikh community leaders to pursue the case as a hate crime. “The Seattle FBI is assisting the Kent Police Department through a joint investigation of the shooting incident. The FBI remains committed to investigating crimes that are potentially hate-motivated and we continue to work with all our community partners in the Seattle area,” said FBI’s Seattle spokesperson Ayn Dietrich. “We applaud the decision by the Kent Police Department to pursue a hate crime investigation,” said the Sikh Coalition’s interim programme manager, Rajdeep Singh.
Karachi
Pakistan on Monday announced that it will open border crossings with Afghanistan for two days to allow hundreds of stranded Afghan citizens to return home. “In order to provide an opportunity to those nationals of Afghanistan who had come to Pakistan on valid visas, and wish to return to their country, the government of Pakistan has decided to open the border crossings at Torkhan and Chaman on 7th and 8th of March, “ a press release by the Foreign Office stated. The announcement came after Afghan authorities said they would airlift Afghans stranded in Pakistan if the border crossings were not opened. CM YK
Pakistan had closed border crossings with Afghanistan on February 16 following a wave of terrorist attacks that killed more than 110 people. Islamabad has accused Kabul of failing to rein in cross-border terrorism, an accusation the latter has denied. Both countries have exchanged lists of terrorists who they allege are present in the other’s territory. Earlier in the day, authorities said five Pakistani soldiers were killed in an overnight attack from Afghanistan at Mohmand Agency. At least 10 terrorists were also killed in the resulting fighting, according to the Army. Pakistan summoned Afghanistan’s Deputy-Ambassador to the Foreign Office to protest the attack.
premium route, due to a fear that H-1B policy may change in the future,” she said. “H-1B petitions are usually approved for three years. However in the recent years, USCIS has approved several petitions just for one year. Before the end date on the H-1B petition an extension must be filed. If within the H-1B approved period, the employee changes the company, or the work location of the employee changes within the same company, an H1B amendment needs to be filed. Every year, you have more than 85000 new visas added and the number of total H-1B visa holders is constantly increasing and the number of people seeking such amendments is also increasing,” she said.
Protests against show The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) and American Hindus Against Defamation (AHAD) were among the organisations that protested. Democratic Congressman from California, Ro Khanna, also expressed his disappointment. “Aslan has free speech! But sad he has made a career of sensationalism over scholarship re: Christianity & Hinduism,” he said on Twitter. Mr. Aslan’s works on Christianity have been found offensive by many Christian groups. HAF leader Suhag Shukla labelled the show as “shock
N. Korea ires 4 missiles, 3 reach Japanese waters Only the second time its missiles have entered Japan’s EEZ Agence France-Presse Seoul
Nuclear-armed North Korea launched four ballistic missiles on Monday in another challenge to U.S. President Donald Trump, with three landing provocatively close to America’s ally Japan. Seoul and Washington began annual joint military exercises last week that always infuriate Pyongyang, with the North’s military warning of “merciless nuclear counter-action”.
ICBM ambitions Under leader Kim Jong-un, Pyongyang has ambitions to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of reaching the U.S. mainland — which Mr. Trump has vowed will not happen. Seoul said four missiles were fired from Tongchang County, North Pyongan
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. AFP
province into the East Sea — its name for the Sea of Japan. The missiles travelled around 1,000 km and reached an altitude of 260 km, said a spokesman for South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, adding they were unlikely to be ICBMs. Regional and world powers lined up to condemn the launches. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said three of the North Korean missiles came down in Tokyo’s Exclusive
They add £25.8 billion to the U.K. economy and their contributions are spread across the country Vidya Ram
Pressure is building on the U.K. government to review its approach to international students, as a new study revealed the huge economic contribution they make to the economy, and official figures showed a sharp drop in numbers. International students add around £25.8 billion to the U.K. economy, with their contribution spread across the country, including the more deprived regions, according to research by Oxford Economics for Universities U.K., the body that represents the nation’s universities. According to the research, international students paid £4.8 billion pounds in tuition fees, and billions on goods and services and activities on and off campus. They also helped support around
Numbers drop: An education exhibition held by the British Council in Bangalore. V. SREENIVASA MURTHY
2,06,600 jobs in the year 2014-2015. Students from non-European Union (EU) countries accounted for a large percentage of fees paid, totalling £4.2 billion. “The spending of international students and their visitors now provides a major export boost for the U.K. economy,” said Julia Goodfellow, President of Univer-
sities U.K., adding that there was potential for the U.K. to grow its share of the global market for higher education. “To do this we must present a welcoming climate for genuine international students and ensure that visa and immigration rules are proportionate and communicated appropriately. This will be even more important
religion porn”. “What does it mean to live without fear? It means CNN and ‘experts’ like @rezaaslan don’t engage in shock religion porn,” she said. “It will promote ignorance about Hindu traditions and promote ridicule of Hindu children in the schools,” Ajay Shah, convener of AHAD said. At a time when racial prejudices may be increasing and violence targeting Indians is on the rise, such portrayal of Hinduism is unhelpful, these groups said. Both groups argued that caste system was not a scripturally sanctioned part of Hinduism and accused Mr. Aslan of misrepresenting the community. HAF representative Mat McDermott had met with Mr. Aslan and had a preview of the episode. Both organisations wondered whether Mr. Aslan would make a similar film on Islam, the religion that he practises. The filmmaker, an Iranian American, had told Mr. McDermott that he had to abandon the plan to shoot an episode on the Ashura festival in Pakistan as no insurer was willing to cover the crew. “If and when there’s a second series of ‘Believer’, Aslan assured that Islam would definitely be included,” the HAF statement said.
Made by religious scholar Reza Azlan, the CNN episode had graphic images of the marginal sect’s practices. SCREENSHOT
Study highlights foreign students’ role LONDON
Mubashir Zaidi
Such programmes only lead to ignorance on Hinduism, they say Varghese K. George
‘H-1B-linked suspension was to clear backlog’ Washington
Hindu groups object to show on aghoris
as the U.K. looks to enhance its place in the world postBrexit,” she said. According to immigration figures published by the official statistical agency last month, 41,000 fewer international students came to study in the U.K. in 2016, the lowest since 2002. Indians accounted for just 6% of student visas granted in 2016, with a total of 10,798 visas granted.
Major deterrents Pressure has been building for a while now for the U.K. to reform its approach to international students. While there is no cap on the number of students who can come to the U.K., and Britain insists that it welcomes the “brightest and the best”, there are a number of factors that are making Britain a less-attractive destination for Indian students, including
restrictions on their ability to work here following the end of their degree. International student numbers are also counted in net migration figures — despite surveys suggesting that three quarters of the British population doesn’t consider international students as migrants. There are also concerns that with the government set on reducing net migration figures, there is little incentive for it to take a more welcoming approach towards students. On the contrary, Home Secretary Amber Rudd announced last year that the government was considering a tougher regime for international students. Further, earlier this year, the government rejected a bid by members of the House of Lords to remove international student numbers from migration figures.
Economic Zone (EEZ) — waters extending 200 nautical miles (370 km) from its coast. The North’s repeated launches “clearly violate UN Security Council resolutions”, he said. “We can never tolerate this”. Pyongyang carried out two atomic tests and a series of missile launches last year, but Monday was only the second time its devices had entered Japan’s EEZ. After an emergency meeting of South Korea’s National Security Council, acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn called the North’s nuclear and missile provocations “immediate and real threats” to his country. In Washington, the State Department condemned the launches, saying the U.S. was ready to “use the full range of capabilities at our disposal against this growing threat”.
Anti-IS assaults gain ground Agence France-Presse Mosul
Iraqi forces advanced in west Mosul and fighters in Syria seized a key supply route to Raqqa on Monday as twin U.S.-backed offensives gained ground against the Islamic State (IS) group. Supported by the U.S.led anti-IS coalition, Iraqi government forces and a Kurdish-Arab alliance in Syria are battling to push the jihadists from Mosul and Raqqa, the last two major urban centres under their control. In Iraq, security forces advanced on Monday towards a compound of jihadist-held government buildings and a bridgehead. In Syria, U.S.-backed forces on Monday cut off a key supply route between IS stronghold Raqqa and the group’s territory in Deir Ezzor province. ND-ND
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THE HINDU
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market watch 06-03-2017
% CHANGE
Sensex dddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd 29,048 dddd 0.75 US Dollar dddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd 66.71 dddd 0.14 Gold ddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd 29,750 dd -1.16 Brent oil ddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd 56.12 dddd 1.28
NIIF in talks with two sovereign funds National infrastructure fund eyes overseas co-investors in the wake of Centre’s $3-billion commitment Vikas Dhoot NEW DELHI
NIFTY 50 PRICE
CHANGE
ACC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1393.45. . . . . . . -0.25 Adani Ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303.15. . . . . . . . . 6.80 Ambuja Cements . . . . 224.95. . . . . . . -0.45 Asian Paints . . . . . . . . . . . . 1029.40. . . . . . . 15.70 Aurobindo Pharma . 667.80. . . . . . . -7.10 Axis Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 518.65. . . . . . . . . 5.75 Bajaj Auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2883.10. . . . . . . 50.30 Bank of Baroda . . . . . . . 160.85. . . . . . . . . 0.90 Bharti Airtel . . . . . . . . . . . 361.50. . . . . . . . . 5.35 BHEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161.05. . . . . . . . . 2.90 Bosch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21365.35. . . . . 206.40 BPCL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 637.55. . . . . . . . . 4.75 Cipla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 590.10. . . . . . . . . 1.50 Coal India . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322.90. . . . . . . . . 1.65 Dr Reddys Lab . . . . . . . . 2858.85. . . . . -12.25 Eicher Motors . . . . . . . . . 23061.45. . . . . -27.85 GAIL (India) . . . . . . . . . . . . 522.25. . . . . . . . . 2.00 Grasim Ind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1004.10. . . . . -16.90 HCL Tech. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 855.55. . . . . . . . . 2.65 HDFC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1365.95. . . . . . . -5.25 HDFC Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1380.75. . . . . . . . . 3.75 Hero MotoCorp . . . . . . . 3319.80. . . . . . . 46.95 Hindalco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199.55. . . . . . . . . 1.00 Hind Unilever . . . . . . . . . 873.10. . . . . . . -4.05 ICICI Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276.75. . . . . . . . . 0.80 Idea Cellular . . . . . . . . . . . 109.75. . . . . . . -0.80 IndusInd Bank . . . . . . . . 1319.70. . . . . . . 20.50 Bharti Infratel . . . . . . . . 310.10. . . . . . . . . 2.20 Infosys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1033.90. . . . . . . . . 2.70 ITC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264.10. . . . . . . . . 2.55 Kotak Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . 818.95. . . . . . . . . 9.45 L&T . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1485.60. . . . . . . 15.25 Lupin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1477.25. . . . . . . . . 1.15 M&M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1329.80. . . . . . . . . 7.75 Maurti Suzuki . . . . . . . . . 5934.85. . . . . . . 47.10 NTPC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158.40. . . . . . . . . 2.30 ONGC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193.80. . . . . . . . . 0.75 PowerGrid Corp . . . . . . 193.85. . . . . . . . . 3.00 Reliance Ind. . . . . . . . . . . . 1305.35. . . . . . . 46.80 State Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269.85. . . . . . . . . 4.80 Sun Pharma . . . . . . . . . . . . 683.00. . . . . . . -3.45 Tata Motors . . . . . . . . . . . . 470.80. . . . . . . 10.85 Tata Motors DVR . . . . 282.70. . . . . . . . . 2.60 Tata Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82.45. . . . . . . . . 0.55 Tata Steel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 492.70. . . . . . . -2.40 TCS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2472.50. . . . . -21.55 Tech Mahindra . . . . . . . . 499.95. . . . . . . -3.75 UltraTech Cement . . 3824.10. . . . . . . 22.35 Wipro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 491.90. . . . . . . -1.95 YES Bank. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1461.50. . . . . . . 27.75 Zee Entertainment . 507.25. . . . . . . . . 4.25
EXCHANGE RATES Indicative direct rates in rupees a unit except yen at 4 p.m. on March 06
TT BUY
CURRENCY
TT SELL
US Dollar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . 66.52. . . . . . . 66.84 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . 70.41. . . . . . . 70.75 British Pound. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . 81.54. . . . . . . 81.94 Japanese Yen (100) . . .. . 58.43. . . . . . . 58.71 Chinese Yuan . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . 9.64. . . . . . . . . 9.69 Swiss Franc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . 65.84. . . . . . . 66.16 Singapore Dollar . . . . . . . .. . 47.13. . . . . . . 47.38 Canadian Dollar . . . . . . . . . .. . 49.63. . . . . . . 49.90 Malaysian Ringitt . . . . . . .. . 14.95. . . . . . . 15.03 Source:Indian Bank
BULLION RATES
CHENNAI
March 06 rates in rupees with previous rates in parentheses
Silver Retail (1 g) . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . 45.90. . . . (46.30) 22 ct gold (1 g) . .. . . . . . . . . . 2,821. . . . (2,822)
The National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) has begun talks with two sovereign wealth funds to become the first investors to come on board, following the signing last fortnight of a government commitment to infuse ₹20,000 crore into the fund, CEO Sujoy Bose said on Monday. The NIIF plans to leverage the Centre’s financing – equivalent to $3 billion – to invest a far higher amount in infrastructure firms and projects, in partnership with global, long-term investors eyeing infrastructure assets, and fund managers that could create dedicated infra sector funds. “We have been having discussions with developers and financiers to see where the NIIF can add value and we will end up with a large
Bridge building: NIIF will also aim to rope in global pension funds and insurance companies to inance large projects.
pool of capital that will allow us to operate at a scale not common in India today, with sticky capital,” Mr. Bose said. A big milestone was cleared two weeks ago when the Centre signed off on its initial commitment of ₹20,000 crore to the NIIF, he added. “We are now in conversa-
Chemplast Sanmar to set up new projects PVC, hydrogen peroxide units planned K.T. Jagannathan Chennai
Chemplast Sanmar Ltd., the flagship of the $1.5-billion Sanmar Group, has lined up a slew of projects with a sizeable investment commitment. As part of its growth plans, the company is setting up a facility to make hydrogen peroxide and also planning an equal joint venture to put up a chlorinated PVC (CPVC) project. The company also intends to treble its suspension PVC capacity to one million tonnes in stages. “CPVC is a specialised pipe and could handle highpressure applications. It is an import-intensive product,’’ Vijay Sankar,
deputy chairman, The Sanmar Group, told the media. On funding for the projects, N. Sankar, group chairman, said it would be done through a combination of internal generation and borrowings. The hydrogen peroxide plant will be a diversification exercise for the company and involve an investment outlay of ₹100 crore. The project will come up at Mettur and have a capacity of 17,500 tonnes. The CPVC project will be a 50:50 joint venture with Kem One SAS, a leading European chloro-vinyl company. The project will come up at Karaikkal and have a capacity of 20,000 tonnes.
tion with a couple of sovereign funds to become the first investors and we will expand that conversation with large global pension funds and insurance companies as well,” Mr. Bose said, stressing that this would be sticky, long-term capital unlike volatile global portfolio flows. The anchor invest-
$600-billion opportunity India is more attractive to foreign investors interested in infrastructure investments
in emerging markets as it now has several privately executed projects that are operational or are close to completion, Mr. Bose said. “Some investors prefer post-construction assets, some like to take a risk on construction but require a higher return. There are estimates that about $600 billion equivalent of operating or mostly constructed assets are available,” he said. The NIIF will also back ‘platform companies’ that can scale up and deliver bigger projects as the sector has seen fragmented players, the fund’s chief executive said. “There have not been many large firms coming up. Now we see firms like IDFC alternatives starting the concept of platform companies that can be scalable and become strong counterparties to government in PPP structures,” said Mr. Bose.
Netlix partners with Airtel, Videocon, Vodafone Streaming provider eyes market share as it beefs up content Special Correspondent NEW DELHI
Netflix on Monday announced partnerships with Bharti Airtel, Videocon d2h and Vodafone as the video streaming service provider looks to expand its reach in the Indian market. “India is one of the most important [markets] and we are delighted to be teaming up with three of India's leading companies. The partnerships with Airtel and Videocon d2h is for set top boxes while the Vodafone partnership is for payment integration,” Netflix co-founder and CEO Reed Hastings said. In a separate statement, Videocon d2h said that its customers will now be able
Replacement for FIPB soon: FinMin
‘Chevrolet Enjoy fails crash test’
Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI
NEW DELHI
Chevrolet Enjoy, the multi purpose vehicle (MPV) from General Motors India, has failed a crash test conducted by Global NCAP. The Chevrolet Enjoy, sold without airbags in its basic version, “recorded a disappointing zero stars for adult occupant protection with the crash test results showing that due to the lack of airbags and poor structural performance, the driver injuries would have been unacceptably high,” the U.K.based Global NCAP said. The organisation is an umbrella outfit of consumer car safety testing bodies. The MPV scored 2 stars for rear-seat child occupant protection. A General Motors spokesperson said in e-mailed comments that the company offered airbags as optional equipment in Enjoy models sold in India.
Reed Hastings
to access Netflix TV library and movie titles on a large screen by “clicking a dedicated Netflix button on the remote control of HD Smart Connect Set Top Box”. Mr. Hastings said the com-
pany had seen strong adoption of its services since its launch in the country in January last year. The U.S.-based firm faces competition from services such as Amazon Prime and HotStar in India. “We have a strong growth here (India), stronger than all the other Asian nations (except China, where Netflix is not present)... We are investing heavily in content. The content has doubled over the last year and we expect it to double next year. We are also setting up a Mumbai office,” he said. Netflix has about 94 million users globally, of which 40 million are outside the U.S. market.
NCLT to still hear if plea merits waiver
Options narrow: Earlier, the NCLT had dismissed a separate contempt petition iled by the Mistry family irms. AP SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT MUMBAI
The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has ruled that though the petition filed by the investment firms of Cyrus Mistry’s family against Tata Sons and its directors is not maintainable, the tribunal will still hear the matter to decide if the petition merits a waiver. “The petitioners have failed to convince the court that the application is maintainable,” NCLT member B. S. V. Kumar said on Monday. “However, instead of dismissing the petition, the court will hear the matter,” he added. Under the new Companies Act, only those entities that hold at least 10% stake in a company can file a petition related to mismanagement and oppression by the management. The petition filed by the Mistry family’s investment companies – Cyrus Investments Pvt. Ltd. and Sterling Investment Corporation Pvt. Ltd. – alleges mismanagement and oppression of minority shareholders by Tata Sons, Ratan Tata and the directors of the holding company of the diversified conglomerate. Mr. Mistry was abruptly removed as the chairman of Tata Sons on October 24, 2016.
Incidentally, the issue of maintainability was raised by Tata Sons’ senior counsel Abhishek Singhvi when the case came up for hearing on December 22. Mr. Singhvi had argued that the Mistry firms did not own 10% stake and hence the petition was not maintainable. Senior advocate Aryama Sundaram, appearing on behalf of the petitioners, had challenged Tata Sons’ contention. While the combined stake of the two investment firms is pegged at about 18.4% of the ordinary equity shares of Tata Sons, the stake falls below 10% if the preference shares are also taken into account. Tata Sons is of the view that the Mistry family firms hold only 2.17% stake in the company. This is the second time that Mr. Mistry has received an unfavourable ruling from the tribunal. Earlier, the NCLT had dismissed a separate contempt petition filed by the Mistry family firms and had directed that the matter be included in the main petition. The contempt petition had sought a stay on Tata Sons’ February 6 board meet to consider Mr. Mistry’s removal as a director from the holding company’s board.
Global NCAP rates Ford’s Aspire three stars on safety Special Correspondent
The government will soon unveil an alternative mechanism for clearing foreign direct investment proposals in the country, following the Budget announcement to abolish the Foreign Investment and Promotion Board, a senior official said on Monday. “The idea is to do away with one layer of approval that existed so that the process of investments becomes easier,” said Saurabh Garg, Joint Secretary, DEA, Ministry of Finance. “We would do [this] in a transparent manner so that existing proposals already in the pipeline get their necessary approvals and we hope at a very early date to have the alternative mechanism in place and put in the public domain. “The transition won’t be disruptive,” he said.
ment by the government in NIIF will be split into two buckets – a billion dollars will be earmarked for a ‘NIIF Direct’ fund that could directly invest in existing or new infrastructure firms or projects. Sovereign funds, pension and insurance companies would bring in a similar amount, while the government’s stake would be kept at 49% of this fund, he said. “With the rest of the $2 billion equivalent, we will look to work with fund managers to see if we can create funds that can become partners with us in investing,” he said, speaking at an Indian Private Equity and Venture Capital Association conclave in the capital.
‘Mistry petition not maintainable’
Ford Aspire scored on both adult and child protection.
“These tests are consistent with previous NCAP results for a number of basecontented vehicles manufactured in India, under current safety regulations. GM has supported the introduction of the improved crash safety standards to be implemented from 2017 and we are working with Government as it seeks to develop further safety measures, including the mandating of airbags, ABS and seatbelt reminders,” the spokesperson said. “GM is committed to complying with relevant safety regulations in India,”
the spokesperson added. The Ford Aspire, (Next Gen Figo), fared better, according to Global NCAP. “The vehicle is fitted with double airbags as standard, and scored three stars for adult occupant protection and two stars for child protection,” it said. David Ward, Secretary General, Global NCAP said, “Ford’s three-stars shows that basic levels of safety are achievable as standard in the Indian vehicle market. It is also encouraging to see progress in safety compared to the earlier version of the Figo we tested in 2014. “In contrast, we are extremely concerned about the poor result of the Chevrolet Enjoy. “There is nothing to enjoy about a zero-star safety score and GM should be embarrassed that they are selling cars with such inadequate levels of occupant protection to Indian consumers,” Mr. Ward said.
Tea institute defaults on payments Tocklai Tea Research Institute has been unable to pay scientists retirement dues Indrani Dutta KOLKATA
Strapped by an acute financial crisis, the Tocklai Tea Research Institute is defaulting on its statutory payments and has not been able to clear the dues of its retiring scientists. The country’s premier tea research institution, jointly funded by the government and industry through the Tea Research Association (TRA), has also been defaulting on provident fund payments for its current employees. The more than 100-yearold Tocklai centre at Jorhat in Assam is the hub of tea research in the country and has been funded by the government and industry since 1964. “In this fiscal, ₹9.7 crore is pending out of a ₹10.5 crore grant,” said Joydeep Phukan, Secretary TRA. “This has led to statutory payments’ defaults. About 20 retired sciCM YK
Diicult times: The crisis has been triggered by a sharp cut in the 12th plan allocation under R&D. REUTERS
entists and 30 support-staff who have retired have not been paid their PF and LTA dues,” he said, adding that there had been PF defaults for the 220 current employees too. “The PF authorities are threatening to seize Tocklai’s bank accounts if dues remain uncleared after Marchend,” he said. The crisis has been
triggered by a sharp cut in the 12th plan allocation under R&D and worsened by the plan’s delayed finalisation. There are about 200 scientists at the 10 research stations of TRA conducting scientific and advisory services covering more than 70% of the total tea production. P. K. Bezboruah, Chairman,TRA said that the association had tried to tide over
the issue by raising the member subscription fees for its members by more than 65% since 2014-15. He said that Tocklai needs about ₹30 crore annually to run its activities and faces a ₹12-crore funding gap. “Government gave us ₹11.6 crore in 2015-16 and ₹75 lakh so far this year,” Mr. Phukan said Santosh Sarangi, Tea Board deputy chairman and chairman said that it had been giving grants to the TRA in accordance with the releases available with the Tea Board under the R & D head. “We are expecting some further allocation in the current year’s budget and in case of allocation, some dues of TRA will be cleared.” TRA’s recent work includes the release of new tea-clone and seed-stock varieties to combat climate change and pest attacks. ND-ND
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14 BUSINESS
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IN BRIEF
Centre mulls modifying deinition of start-up
‘IT industry must stress mutual gains to the U.S.’
Also considering need to review rejected applications that sought policy beneits
Staff Reporter
Press trust of india
BENGALURU
NEW DELHI
The Indian IT industry must educate U.S. policymakers on the mutual benefits of strong India–U.S. trade ties, according to Nasscom. In a statement issued in the wake of a visit by a delegation to the U.S., Nasscom said the authorities there did not quite understand the advantages and the actual working of the visa programmes. “From our recent meetings, it is clear that our sector has more work to do in educating the U.S. policymakers on the mutual benefits of strong India-U.S. trade in IT services. In some cases, those benefits and the actual workings of the visa programmes are not well understood,” said R. Chandrashekhar, president, Nasscom. Nasscom’s statement comes even as the U.S. government is trying to overhaul H-1B visa regime. A delegation led by Nasscom chairman C. P. Gurnani had visited Washington, D.C. to meet key policymakers in the Congress and the Trump administration. Nasscom said, by helping thousands of U.S. businesses improve their operations, new create products and services and gain market share, Indiabased IT companies doing business in the U.S. were protecting and creating jobs for Americans. Nasscom also said additional restrictions on H-1B or L-1 would hurt thousands of the U.S. businesses by hindering access to talent. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services had said it will temporarily suspend premium processing for H-1B visa applications.
The impact of demonetisation on GDP may be seen in the current quarter in some segments, while the remonetisation exercise should be completed in 2—3 months, RBI Deputy Governor Viral V. Acharya said on Monday. Asked if the spillover effect of the note ban could extend to the January— March quarter, Mr. Acharya said the impact could be felt in some segments. “Ultimately, the cash shortage is like a liquidity shock and unless it had led to a substantial wealth destruction, one would expect its effects to be quite temporary. I’m not saying that the temporary impact is not hard on some parts of the economy, you would expect the effect to be temporary,” he said. “There may be a couple of sectors, like 2—wheeler sales, where there is slightly
Special Correspondent NEW DELHI
Cancer drug prices cut up to 86% in a year NEW DELHI
Drug pricing regulator National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has slashed the price of cancer drugs by up to 86% since March last year.The drugs include Iressa of AstraZeneca Pharma India, whose price has been brought down from ₹29,259 to ₹3,977, a reduction of 86%, and Dr.Reddy’s Laboratories’ Grafeel — the price of which has been slashed by 41%, NPPA said. PTI
Centre may unveil IIP, WPI with new base year NEW DELHI
The government may unveil two macroeconomic indicators — the index of industrial production and the wholesale price index — with a new base year 2011-12, by April end, to ensure compatibility with growth numbers. The change in the baseline for IIP and WPI, currently at 2004-05, is expected to bring in more accuracy in mapping the level of economic activity and calculating other numbers like national accounts. PTI
IDFC buys Natixis’ stake for ₹244 crore NEW DELHI
IDFC Ltd. has agreed to acquire a 25% stake held by Natixis Global Asset Management in IDFC Mutual Fund for ₹244.24 crore. The transaction is expected to conclude by the end of this month, according to a regulatory iling. IDFC Financial Holding Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of IDFC Ltd., currently holds 75% stake of IDFC Asset Management Company (AMC) and IDFC AMC Trustee Company. PTI
YK
The Centre is considering proposals to amend the definition of ‘start-up’ in the policy and looking to review applications seeking benefits of start-up policy which were rejected, according to a top official. “It (the definition) needs to undergo change. We (the government) are flexible,” said Ramesh Abhishek, Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP) citing feedback from entrepreneurs who submitted that the definition of start-up in the policy hampered their ability to claim benefits. Mr. Abhishek was speaking at an event organised by Indian Private Equity and Venture Capital Association. Mr. Abhishek was referring to the provision in the Start-up India policy which states that for the purpose of claiming the benefits of the government schemes, ‘startup’ means an entity, incorporated or registered in India: (a) not prior to five years, (b) with annual turnover not exceeding ₹25 crore in any preceding financial year and (c) working towards innovation, development, deployment or commercialisation of new products, processes or services driven by technology or intellectual property. “There may not be any need to have a single time period (like five years) and turnover (like ₹25 crore) for all sectors. Maybe there is a need to have different time period and different turnover for different sectors,” said the official. He said the government would retain the criterion of “innovation” as it is deliber-
Head count: It has been suggested that instead of ‘turnover,’ the policy should consider the number of employees in a irm or investment in plant and machinery. ately kept in the policy to differentiate between a traditional firm and a start-up. However, he added the government would consider suggestions on making the definition of start-up more broad-based. Mr. Abhishek said entrepreneurs from the biotechnology and medical devices sectors have informed the government of the need for relaxation of the five-year time period to eight or ten years as more time was required in such sectors for an entity to take off financially. He said there were also suggestions that instead of ‘turnover,’ the policy should consider the number of employees in a firm or investment in plant and machinery. On the reason for the government looking to review the applications that earlier
sought benefits of the startup policy and were rejected, Mr. Abhishek said, “out of all the applications, only ten start-ups have been approved for availing tax benefit.” “I am concerned about this low number and have suggested the need for a review. The mechanism (of the Inter-Ministerial Board, or the IMB, considering the applications) is transparent.”
Tax benefit As per the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion, out of the 1662 applications received so far, only 146 applications can be considered for tax benefits as only these start-ups have been incorporated after April 1, 2016. It added, “out of the 146 applications, all have been considered by the IMB and 10 start-ups have been ap-
proved for availing tax benefit.” The ‘Bharat Navodaya: StartUp India Reform Report,’ released on Monday, suggested that the start-up definition be simplified.
‘Raise threshold’ “The revenue threshold should be raised; subjectivity should be removed and the additional layer of approval from the IMB should be dispensed with. There should be automatic certification of start-ups upon approval from a few pre-designated bodies,” the reform report recommended. The study also mooted the establishment of a single window clearance for obtaining approvals and licences from all departments, adding that the frequency of filing under labour and tax laws should be reduced.
Note ban impact may linger: RBI’s Acharya Efect on GDP may be seen in Jan.-Mar. slower rebound,” he said. When asked about the GDP estimate, he said, “you can see our MPC resolution which is that our estimate was actually reasonably close to that (of the CSO estimate).” “Of course, the drivers may have been slightly different, but I think there are a couple of things that people have raised which would be interesting and worth thinking about, which is how much of the informal sector gets fully captured other than through its links to the formal sector,” he said. He further said that the impact of the note ban would only be temporary and would help in bringing the informal sector into the mainstream economy. “I think everyone should keep in mind that the remonetisation is taking place at a very fast pace,” Mr. Acharya said.
Tech Mahindra to buy U.S.-based HCI group $110 mn. deal to bolster healthcare IT Staff Reporter BENGALURU
IT services company Tech Mahindra on Monday said it would acquire U.S.-based healthcare IT services and consulting firm The HCI Group for about $110 million. “The acquisition will not only position Tech Mahindra as a significant player in the healthcare provider space but will also provide an opportunity to go deeper in this space via EMR implementation and surrounding services route,”
said C.P. Gurnani, MD & CEO, Tech Mahindra. As part of the transaction, the company will make an upfront payment of $89.5 million for the purchase of 84.7% stake in the HCI Group. The balance will be acquired over three years. “Healthcare and life sciences has been one of the focus areas for Tech Mahindra globally and the acquisition will help in consolidating the company’s position in this space,” according to a company statement.
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THE HINDU
SPORT 15
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IN BRIEF
India recoups on day three, improves its chances Rahul, Pujara and Rahane bat responsibly; Jadeja’s six-for stops Australia from taking a big irst innings lead K.C. Vijaya Kumar
played fluently. Balls homing into the stumps or into the rough were kept away and when the bowlers offered width or shortened their lengths, the cuts and sweeps were essayed. Pujara kept threading fours through the off-side while Rahane whipped O’Keefe, the wrists helming the shot.
BENGALURU
Suns, Jazz win LOS ANGELES
Phoenix Suns rookie Tyler Ulis and Utah Jazz’s Rudy Gobert shared the limelight with a pair of stunning buzzer beaters to lift their NBA Western Conference clubs to victory. Other results: Indiana Pacers bt Hawks 97-96; Washington Wizards bt Orlando Magic 115-114; Warriors 112 bt Knicks 105. AGENCIES
Misbah may lead LAHORE
Misbah-ul-Haq on Monday made himself available for next month’s series in the West Indies, ignoring entreaties from ex-players to call time on his career. PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan said: “Misbah has told me that he is available for the Test series in the West Indies and it will be conveyed to the selection committee that he will be captain.” AFP
Hurdler Merritt back to winning ways WASHINGTON
Former Olympic 110m hurdles champion Aries Merritt signalled a return to form after a 2015 kidney transplant by winning the 60m hurdles crown (7.51s) at the US Indoor Track and Field Championships. Ronnie Baker won the 60m in 6.45s. AFP
India’s comeback in the second Test remains a work in progress. But Virat Kohli’s men are just a wee-bit ahead and that is a remarkable tale considering the vagaries they suffered on the first two days. The match still hangs in the balance but the third day was largely about India recouping and advancing its chances. The Monday crowd at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium couldn’t have asked for more. At close, India was 213 for four in its second innings and ahead by 126 runs after Australia finished its first innings, in the morning, at 276. That advantage the visitor nursed has been largely chipped away. India gave a far better account of its batting in the second outing. The road to redemption found its initial building blocks through K.L. Rahul and Abhinav Mukund, whose ‘swivel-and-pull’ six off Mitchell Starc, albeit behind the wicket, hinted at optimism.
Good stand It was a trait that was amply reflected by Rahul (51, 85b, 4x4), Cheteshwar Pujara (79 batting, 173b, 6x4) and Ajinkya Rahane (40 batting). The last two have added 93 runs in an unfinished fifthwicket partnership that also yielded a fruitful last session for India: 91 for no loss in 33 overs. Rahul and Abhinav added 39 before the latter was castled by Josh Hazlewood just after lunch. The host dressing room could still
Wrapping it up Earlier, India got the first part of its ‘Operation Salvage’ spot on. Resuming at 237 for six, Australia lasted just 16.4
2ND TEST, DAY 3, M. CHINNASWAMY STADIUM, BENGALURU INDIA - 1ST INNINGS: 189
Standing irm: Cheteshwar Pujara played as he is wont to, helping India ight its way back into the second Test on Monday. K. BHAGYA PRAKASH
breathe easy as Rahul’s footwork and bat-flow were in sync. His partner Pujara — the duo shared a 45-run second-wicket partnership — was a nervous starter and enjoyed a lucky break when Steve Smith grassed him at first slip off Nathan Lyon. Gradually Pujara regained his touch while Rahul’s drives were pleasing, especially one off Starc, and when the bowlers strayed on the leg-side, the flick was im-
‘Two more good sessions and we will be ahead’ Jadeja promoted to unsettle Lyon, says Bangar Principal Correspondent Bengaluru
In the series thus far, a brittle Indian batting line-up has meant that the side has seldom been in a position from where it could force the issue. Monday’s final session however was different with Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane, combining to ensure the first wicket-less session of the Test. “The batting group got together and then we had a chat about how our approach had been,” explained India’s batting coach Sanjay Bangar. “We also looked into the past of how we negotiated spin and what were the areas where we could have adapted better. Here the batsmen really applied
themselves, used their feet well and were trying to get to the pitch of the ball and also played well on the backfoot. All in all they have put up a better show.”
Exciting times ahead “After having not scored enough runs in the first innings, it was good effort to claw our way back and not let the game run away. After the second session, we didn’t lose any wickets and consolidated in the third. Now what lies ahead could be exhilarating stuff.” India in fact tried to wrest the initiative even earlier by promoting Ravindra Jadeja ahead of Rahane. The move, Bangar said, was to ensure a left-right
combination. But it failed. “We also wanted to make sure that we get [Nathan] Lyon slightly away from his line of attack. Because whenever a left-hander comes, Lyon generally comes around the wicket and he favours more to bowl outside the rough to the right-hander. Then if an opportunity was there, he could have gone after the left-arm spinner. That was the plan.” Even as he said that the match was still very much in the balance, Bangar felt that two more good sessions on Tuesday could turn the tide. “I think if we put up a good show in the next two sessions then we will slightly have our nose ahead.”
mediately unfurled. Rahul reached his 50 in 82 balls and it needed a slice of brilliance to terminate the Bengalurean’s knock.
Brilliant effort Striding into his drive off Steve O’Keefe, Rahul edged and the ball was flying past Smith at first slip. In a microsecond, the Australian captain leapt sideways, thrust his right hand and plucked a seemingly impossible catch.
The fans, applauding their local hero as he retreated into the dressing room, found extra zing in their vocal chords as Kohli walked in. He was quick off the mark but suffered another cheap dismissal. There was ambiguity about whether Hazlewood’s delivery had grazed his bat before thudding into the pad. Promptly Kohli sought a review and after action replays and close-ups were frozen for almost an
eternity, he was adjudged out. India 112 for three, marginally ahead but still not out of the woods. The team-management then promoted southpaw Ravindra Jadeja, a ploy to counter off-spinner Lyon, who was trying to exploit the rough at the Northern End. But Jadeja fell at the Pavilion End, allowing Hazlewood to dismantle the stumps. Alarm bells, though, were muted as Pujara and Rahane
Virat Kohli and the Decision Review System (DRS) seem to be having an unhappy marriage. If the Indian skipper, who has displayed a rather impulsive streak in reviewing umpiring decisions, thought he finally had a chance on Monday to set it right, even that proved elusive. Kohli was given out legbefore off a Josh Hazlewood delivery which skidded through and thudded onto the pad. Kohli thought he had hit the ball first. The decision was reviewed but even umpteen replays couldn't provide conclusive evidence to overturn the on-field call. “We all were a bit surprised by the call,” said India batting coach Sanjay Bangar. “Was there conclusive evidence to make that call or wasn’t there conclusive evidence that is something the match referee will look into and have a chat about.” The BCCI's official Twitter handle too didn’t want to be left behind. “OUT or NOT OUT ? Richard Kettleborough thought it was out. What do you think ? #Virat @Paytm #INDvAUS,” it tweeted. More importantly, the disCM YK
Sanjay Bangar
Virat Kohli.
PTI
missal ensured that Kohli has totalled only 40 runs in four innings in the series. His reaction after being dismissed was more than indicative of this. “He wanted to succeed very badly in this innings,” said Bangar. “Virat was really pumped up and he is a big match player. But it was a normal reaction of a batsman in the dressing room when he gets out cheaply.” Have all the travails shaken the Indians' confidence in the technology? “I don’t think it has gone to that extent,” he replied. “We are new to DRS and the rules have been tweaked a bit. It is very much the umpire’s call which becomes really, really crucial. “We haven’t really sat
down and evaluated it. We are still learning.” Hazlewood said the use of HotSpot would help clear such issues. “It’s a massive series, and you want to have all the technology that you can,” the 26-year-old said. “I think HotSpot works really well. It can be the difference between not out and out. Initially, I just heard a bit of wood, so I pulled out of the appeal. But I saw the guys behind and square of the wicket were pretty confident and it was given out. “After looking at the reviews, you could see the ball was just touching the pad before the bat. So one had to stick with the on-field call.” Bangar, though, said the decision to use HotSpot was best left to the administrators. “It's for them to decide as to why they opted to use a technology and why one part of it is not used,” he said. “I think it is for the ICC, BCCI and other administrators to decide. I have neither the authority nor the knowledge to answer that.”
AUSTRALIA BOWLING: Starc 10-0-45-0, Hazlewood 16-0-57-3, Lyon 27-2-69-0, O’Keefe 16-3-28-1, M. Marsh 3-0-4-0.
N. Sudarshan
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Two highs and a low
At tea India was effectively 35 for four. It had managed to erase Australia’s 87-run first innings lead but had lost the important wickets of K.L. Rahul, who was excellent during his 51-run knock, and skipper Virat Kohli. Australia was clearly in the ascendency. However, a wicketless final session, in which Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane put on 91, ensured that Australia wouldn’t run away with the match. “It feels pretty level at the moment,” Josh Hazlewood said. “They fought back really well in that last session. Credit to the two guys. They fought hard and scratched away for quite a bit of runs.”
Messy: Abhinav Mukund looks back to see his stumps in disarray, courtesy a Josh Hazlewood special. K. BHAGYA PRAKASH
With the pitch slowing down, Nathan Lyon and Steve O’Keefe couldn’t get the ball to turn and bounce as quickly as they did in the
first innings. In that scenario, Hazlewood felt that the quicker bowlers could have bowled a better line. “The quicks were a little
too wide. In Australia you bowl in that channel outside the off stump, looking for nicks. Obviously it bounces a lot better and there’s a little
Pujara and Rahane’s uninished 93-run stand is the series’ best so far
B
Monday’s post-tea session was the irst in the series without a wicket falling
B
Kohli’s average of 10 (four innings) is presently his worst in a series
NEW DELHI
Anurag Thakur.
AP
its diktats are not “written in sand” and meant to be complied with while stripping Mr. Thakur and secretary Ajay Shirke of their posts with Indian cricket’s most powerful body. The court had declared Mr. Thakur and Mr. Shirke “unfit” to continue at the helm of the BCCI for their “obstructionist” attitude and specious pleas in court about their incapacity to make affiliated State associations fall
in line with the Justice Lodha Committee reforms. Besides, the court found Mr. Thakur prima facie guilty of both contempt of Supreme Court proceedings and perjury (fabrication of false evidence), adding that such a person does not deserve to continue as BCCI president. The court held that Mr. Thakur’s attempts to “solicit” ICC Chairman Shashank Manohar in Dubai for a letter to undermine the Supreme Court judgement of July 18, 2016 which upheld the Lodha Committee recommendation to include a CAG nominee on the Board’s apex council prima facie amounted to sheer contempt. The apex court further said Mr. Thakur was prima facie guilty of placing on record a “fabricated” minutes of a BCCI Working Committee meeting held on August 22, 2016 in order to lend support for his version that he had only sought a clarification from Mr. Manohar and not a letter. The court had issued notice to Mr. Thakur for his response on why he should not face both contempt proceedings and a criminal prosecution for perjury.
bit of swing. Here it’s not the case.” “With the odd ball shooting through with that up and down bounce, we could be more straighter. There’s not much swing, and not much reverse swing either. You’ve got to bowl stump to stump. I think the Indian quicks bowled really well for a majority of Sunday. We can still improve on today.”
Difering opinions continue to persist Krishnadas Rajagopal
Krishnadas Rajagopal
Former BCCI president Anurag Thakur rendered an “unconditional and unqualified” apology to the Supreme Court on Monday in a contempt of court case. Mr. Thakur was present in the courtroom as a Bench of Justices Dipak Misra, A.M. Khanwilkar and D.Y. Chandrachud spared him from making personal appearances in the future. The court however said it will continue to hear the contempt case on April 17. P.S. Patwalia, who is an Additional Solicitor General, submitted that the unconditional apology features in the very first line of the application filed by Mr. Thakur before the court. “I never intended anything... There is nothing in it... an impression somehow has got created,” Mr. Patwalia sought to explain to the court. He sought an earlier date for the next hearing, sometime in March, saying Mr. Thakur was “pursuing public life.” But the court refused, though it initially advanced the date from April 24 to April 17. On January 2, the Supreme Court had noted that
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INDIA - 2ND INNINGS: RUNS BALLS 4s 6s K.L. Rahul c Smith b O’Keefe ddddddddddd ddd 51 dddddd 85 dddddddd4 ddddddddd Abhinav Mukund b Hazlewood ddddddddd ddd 16 dddddd 32 dddddddd1 dddddddd1 Cheteshwar Pujara (batting)dddddddddddd ddd 79 ddddd173 dddddddd6 ddddddddd Virat Kohli lbw Hazlewood dddddddddddddd ddd 15 dddddd 25 dddddddd1 ddddddddd Ravindra Jadeja b Hazlewood ddddddddddd ddddd2 dddddd 12 ddddddddd ddddddddd Ajinkya Rahane (batting) ddddddddddddddd ddd 40 ddddd105 dddddddd3 ddddddddd Extras (b-10) ddddddddddddddddddddddddddd ddd 10 Total (for four wkts. in 72 overs) dddddddd dd 213 Fall of wickets: 1-39 (Abhinav, 10.4 overs), 2-84 (Rahul, 24.2), 3-112 (Kohli, 34.2), 4-120 (Jadeja, 38.1).
BENGALURU
Yet another review proves unsuccessful BENGLAURU
INDIA BOWLING: Ishant 27-8-48-1, Umesh 24-7-57-1, Ashwin 49-13-84-2, Jadeja 21.4-1-63-6, Karun 1-0-7-0.
Hazlewood lauds India’s plucky display, but says Aussie seamers could have been straighter
Thakur says sorry to SC
We were a bit surprised. The umpire’s call becomes really crucial
AUSTRALIA - 1ST INNINGS: RUNS BALLS 4s 6s David Warner b Ashwinddddddddddddddddd ddd 33 dddddd 67 dddddddd3 ddddddddd Matt Renshaw st Saha b Jadeja ddddddddd ddd 60 ddddd196 dddddddd5 dddddddd1 Steve Smith c Saha b Jadeja dddddddddddd ddddd8 dddddd 52 ddddddddd ddddddddd Shaun Marsh c Karun b Umesh ddddddddd ddd 66 ddddd197 dddddddd4 ddddddddd Peter Handscomb c Ashwin b Jadeja ddd ddd 16 dddddd 30 dddddddd2 ddddddddd Mitchell Marsh lbw b Ishant dddddddddddd ddddd0 dddddd 11 ddddddddd ddddddddd Matthew Wade lbw b Jadeja ddddddddddddddd 40 ddddd113 dddddddd4 ddddddddd Mitchell Starc c Jadeja b Ashwin dddddddd ddd 26 dddddd 52 dddddddd2 ddddddddd Steve O’Keefe (not out) dddddddddddddddd ddddd4 dddddd 12 ddddddddd ddddddddd Nathan Lyon lbw b Jadeja dddddddddddddd ddddd0 dddddddd1 ddddddddd ddddddddd Josh Hazlewood c Rahul b Jadeja ddddddd ddddd1 dddddddd9 ddddddddd ddddddddd Extras (b-14, lb-3, nb-5) dddddddddddddddd ddd 22 ddddddddd ddddddddd ddddddddd Total (in 122.4 overs) ddddddddddddddddddd dd 276 ddddddddd ddddddddd ddddddddd Fall of wickets: 1-52 (Warner, 21.1 overs), 2-82 (Smith, 41.2), 3-134 (Renshaw, 66.3), 4-160 (Handscomb, 76.4), 5-163 (M. Marsh, 79.6), 6-220 (S. Marsh, 100.2), 7-269 (Starc, 117.6), 8-274 (Wade, 120.1), 9-274 (Lyon, 120.2).
‘It feels pretty level at the moment’
Kohli’s DRS nightmare N. Sudarshan
overs, adding 39 runs while losing its remaining wickets with Jadeja and R. Ashwin sharing the spoils. Jadeja’s six for 63 ensured that the visitor’s tail did not wag and Ashwin prised out Starc. The tail-ender tried to clear mid-wicket and found Jadeja, who then wheeled his bowling arm to scalp the rest and prevented Smith’s men from securing a 100-run lead. These minor statistics can have a major impact. A pulsating Tuesday awaits.
NEW DELHI
Noting that it wants “India as a country to get the money” in revenues from the ICC, the Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear complaints by various State associations and members of the BCCI against the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA). The bone of contention is an ICC meeting scheduled for April 22. The State associations, represented by senior advocate Kapil Sibal, said the CoA was not even allowing them to hold a meeting on how best BCCI should present its case for earning about ₹4,000 crore of its share in revenues from the ICC.
Non-compliance Senior advocate Parag Tripathi, appearing for the Lodha Committee, said the members had not complied with the Supreme Court judgement that they should unreservedly agree to adopt the Lodha panel reforms. Mr. Tripathi said they should first comply with the SC order and then hold meetings. “We have not said ‘don't come to us’. The CoA has
not closed its doors and windows on them. When we ask them to file an undertaking, they accuse us of overreach,” Mr. Tripathi said.
Predicament Amicus curiae Gopal Subramanium told the court the CoA faced the same predicament as the Lodha panel once did from the BCCI and its members. “Nothing, no reform, has been implemented...How does a foot move forward unless there is a basic compliance of law,” Mr. Subramanium said. Mr. Tripathi said the BCCI members “talk of losing money when each of them is sitting on piles of cash”. “In Kerala, they bought land for a cricket stadium and the land happens to be a lagoon,” Mr. Tripathi submitted. Mr. Subramanium narrated how a panel led by a retired Supreme Court Chief Justice was exasperated because of the non-compliance and the wall of resistance. “Somebody, whoever it may be, wants me to sign my death warrant, do I sign just because he is a retired Chief Justice of India?” asked Mr. Sibal. The court posted the case for March 10. ND-ND
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IN BRIEF
Youngsters sparkle for Delhi
Gambhir lights into Bhaskar
Help the team record a 112-run win over Uttar Pradesh
BHUBANESWAR
Vijay Lokapally BHUABANESWAR
Peshawar Zalmi is PSL champion NEW DELHI
Peshawar Zalmi thrashed Quetta Gladiators by 58 runs to win the second edition of the Pakistan Super League at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Sunday. Needing 149, Gladiators were bowled out for 90 in 16.3 overs. ANI
RPS acquires KXIP’s Shardul Thakur NEW DELHI
Rising Pune Supergiant has acquired the services of Kings XI Punjab pacer Shardul Thakur for the 10th edition of the Indian Premier League to be held from next month. The fast bowler was bought by Punjab in the 2014 auction. This is the second trade done by Pune after having secured Delhi Darevdevils’s batsman Mayank Agarwal. PTI
Delhi, after its 112–run victory Uttar Pradesh on Monday, can look to invest in youngsters like Himmat Singh and Kulwant Khejroliya. Delhi won its concluding match of the Vijay Hazare cricket tournament in style to finish fourth in the group behind Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh and ahead of Tripura, Himachal Pradesh and Kerala. Unmukt Chand, wanting to make a statement after suffering the ignominy of being dropped from the team initially, crafted a 110-ball innings of 78 with ten fours to make his presence felt. Unmukt opened in the company of Shikhar Dhawan as veteran Gautam Gambhir reported ill. Dhawan’s miserable run continued and his failure put Delhi on the defensive after skipper Rishabh Pant and Milind Kumar fell cheaply. At 85 for four, Delhi feared an embarrassment before Himmat stepped up to grab the chance.
Delightful batting Much had been said of Himmat’s entry to the team. There was little doubt about
Making his mark: Unmukt Chand crafted a 110-ball innings of 78 with ten fours FILE PHOTO
his talent but the fast-tracking of this stroke-player to the team was not appreciated by most. The young middle-order
batsman, silenced his critics with a 54-ball 54 that contained six fours and a six. It helped Himmat that he had Unmukt for company as
Vijay Lokapally
Delhi rebuilt its innings. The pair added 86 runs for the fifth wicket and the partnership saw Delhi get back itself to win the contest. Left-arm bowler Khejroliya, included in the team as a cover for Ashish Nehra, next took over the job with a spell that rocked UP. He accounted for four top-order wickets as UP crashed to an embarrassing 16 for five. Khejroliya removed Prashant Gupta, Akshdeep Nath, Sarfaraz Khan, Saurabh Kumar and Amit Mishra, while Subodh Bhati and Vikas Tokas claimed two wickets each. UP looked to make a fight of it through Rinku Singh (43) and Praveen Kumar (28) but the batting lacked the substance to go the distance. For Delhi, it was a fine end to a poor start in the tournament. The roles played by Chand, Himmat and Khejroliya augur well for the young Delhi team. The scores: Delhi 220 in 48.4 overs (Unmukt Chand 78, Himmat Singh 54, Ankit Rajpoot three for 32) bt Uttar Pradesh 108 in 21.3 overs (Rinku Singh 43, Kulwant Khejroliya five for 22) by 112 runs.
In a shocking incident at the KIIT cricket ground here, former Delhi captain Gautam Gambhir humiliated team coach K.P. Bhaskar with a vitriolic verbal assault in the dressing room at the end of the Vijay Hazare cricket tournament match on Monday. The diatribe left the young Delhi team in a state of shock and obvious embarrassment for Bhaskar, who is in his first season as coach of the State of which he was captain once. Known for his genial behaviour on and off the field, Bhaskar, 54, was reportedly targeted with personal insults as Gambhir, 35, used foul and threatening language. “The unfortunate incident here obviously marks a new low in Delhi cricket and demands a disciplinary inquiry from the DDCA and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) as well. “Is Gambhir not supposed to be a role model being a World Cup winner?” asked a former Delhi star. The cause of Gambhir’s acerbic outburst was not known, but it was obvious the former India opener,
K.P. Bhaskar.
with an aggregate of 14,205 runs from 186 First Class matches, is peeved at the appointment of Bhaskar ahead of his preferred candidate. The Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) had appointed Ajay Jadeja last season in place of Vijay Dahiya and Gambhir had expressed displeasure. Eventually Jadeja had withdrawn from the appointment and senior players Rajat Bhatia and Mithun Manhas had shifted to other States. Gambhir, observers point put, has had a series of spats with senior cricketers, including Chetan Chauhan, Hari Gidwani and Venkat Sundaram, but this episode beats them all. Gambhir reportedly mocked Bhaskar’s cricket credentials — 95 First Class
Vidarbha, Baroda make it to last eight The former hammers Assam while the latter advances despite losing to Haryana Rakesh Rao NEW DELHI
Vidarbha and Baroda made the quarterfinals, in contrasting ways, from Group ‘A’ on the final day of the league phase of Vijay Hazare Trophy limited-over cricket tournament here on Monday. Vidarbha topped the group by hammering Assam by 104 runs at the Karnail Singh Stadium. Baroda, in spite of losing to Haryana by 85 runs, occupied the
second spot. Punjab, which could have poached Baroda’s place in the quarterfinals, lost to Odisha by 69 runs at the Air Force ground and finished third. Vidarbha dominated Assam by setting a target of 274 following half centuries from Jitesh Sharma and Ganesh Satish. When Assam chased, off-spinner Abhishek Chourasia took six for 37 and made sure Vidarbha was never threatened.
Baroda twice looked in control against Haryana but eventually crumbled to a big defeat. After Haryana opted to bat, Baroda struck early and had the opposition worried at 130 for five in the 31st over. Thereafter, Rahul Tewatia (78 not out) and Rahul Dagar (56 not out) raised 136 runs for the unfinished sixthwicket stand and put Haryana on top. Baroda looked well on course at 83 for one after 14 overs. However, off the next
VIJAY HAZARE TROPHY SCORES Group B
Parthiv guides Gujarat home S. Dipak Ragav Chennai
Skipper Parthiv Patel smashed an 82-ball 88 to guide Gujarat into the quarterfinals of the Vijay Hazare Trophy with a comfortable seven-wicket win over Bengal in the final Group C league match here on Monday. Gujarat finished with 16 points tied with Mumbai, but progressed on a better net run rate. With an eye on NRR, Gujarat invited Bengal to bat first. Jasprit Bumrah did the early damage claiming the first two wickets before leftarm spinner Ashav Panchal and off-spinner Rujul Bhatt turned the screws during the
middle overs to restrict Bengal to 168. After Mumbai thrashed Goa, chasing 96 in just 5.4 overs in the other match, Gujarat needed to chase down the target in 41.2 overs. Parthiv Patel made good use of his luck after he was dismissed off a no-ball from
Dinda caught at slip on four. He smashed 13 boundaries to help Gujarat chase down the target in just 28 overs. The scores: Bengal 168 in 49.1 overs (Abhimanyu Eswaran 37, Aamir Gani 37, Ashoke Dinda 33, Jasprit Bumrah three for 27) lost to Gujarat 172 for three in 28 overs (Parthiv Patel 88).
Quarterinals advanced Press Trust of India New Delhi
Two Vijay Hazare Trophy quarterfinals (Karnataka v Baroda & TN v Gujarat), scheduled to be held on March 13, have been advanced by a day to
Sunday. BCCI CEO Rahul Johri said that the change happened as it would have been difficult to conduct matches on Holi, a public holiday. The other quarterfinals will be played on March 14.
At Cuttack: Tamil Nadu 337 for eight in 50 overs (Dinesh Karthik 81, G.S. Raju 77, B. Aparajith 41, Kaushik Gandhi 36, Vijay Shankar 32, M. Mohammed 30, Udiyan Bose four for 73) bt Tripura 75 in 18.2 overs (Aswin Crist five for 29). TN 4 (20), Tripura 0 (12). Kerala 297 for nine in 50 overs (Vishnu Vinod 93, Mohammed Azharudeen 73, Sanju Samson 51, Sachin Baby 41, S. Nirmohi three for 50) bt HP 255 in 47.1 overs (Sumeet Verma 59, Ankit Kaushik 59, Prashant Chopra 50, Ekant Sen 43, Fabid Ahmed four for 38). Kerala 4 (4), HP 0 (4). At Bhubaneshwar: Delhi 220 in 48.4 overs (Unmukt Chand 78, Himmat Singh 54, Ankit Rajpoot three for 32) bt Uttar Pradesh 108 in 21.3 overs (Rinku Singh 43, Kulwant Khejroliya five for 22). Delhi 4 (12), UP 0 (12). Group C
At Chennai: Goa 95 in 35 overs (Abhishek Nayar four for 23, Dhawal Kulkarni three for 17) lost to Mumbai 99 for two in 5.4 overs (Suryakumar Yadav 40 n.o., Aditya Tare 38 n.o.). Goa 0 (0), Mumbai 4 (16). Bengal 168 in 49.1 overs (Abhimanyu Eswaran 37, Aamir Gani 37, Ashoke Dinda 33, Jasprit Bumrah three for 27) lost to Gujarat 172 for three in 28 overs (Parthiv Patel 88). Bengal 0 (20), Gujarat 4 (16). Rajasthan 235 for seven in 50 overs (Dishant Yagnik 27, Mahipal Lomror 67, Arjit Gupta 32, K.I. Nagarkoti 30, T.N. Dhillon 60 n.o., P. Vijay Kumar three for 17) lost to Andhra 236 for two in 39.5 overs (D.B. Prashanth Kumar 62, Hanuma Vihari 135 n.o., D.B. Ravi Teja 27 n.o.). Rajasthan 0 (8), Andhra 4 (12). Group D At Kolkata: Chhattisgarh 199 in 48.5 overs (Abhimanyu Chauhan 62, Mohammad Kaif
39 n.o., Amandeep Khare 30, R. Vinay Kumar three for 19) lost to Karnataka 200 for seven in 37.3 overs (Mayank Agarwal 66, Manish Pandey 34, Stuart Binny 25, Shubham Thakur three for 38). Chhattisgarh 0 (8), Karnataka 4 (24).
Hyderabad 88 in 28.5 overs (C.V. Milind 32, Diwesh Pathania four for 21, Suraj Yadav three for 36, Sachidanand Pandey three for 22) lost to Services 92 for five in 20.2 overs. Hyderabad 0 (16), Services 4 (12). At Kalyani: Jammu and Kashmir 184 in 43 overs (Owais Shah 59, Parvez Rasool 45; Shahbaz Nadeem five for 42) lost to Jharkhand 185 for four in 35 (Kumar Deobrat 78, Shasheem Rathour 36, Saurabh Tiwary 30). J&K 0 (4), Jharkhand 4 (16).
delivery, a well-set Krunal Pandya (43) offered a simple catch at short mid-wicket and that triggered off a procession. Punjab became a victim of its urgency to score big in a desperate attempt to qualify. After Odisha once again rode on the shoulder of Govind Poddar (120) to set a target of 241, Punjab was looking good until 112 for two in 15 overs but nothing went right thereafter. Left-arm spinner Dhiraj Singh, who had sent back opener Shubman Gill for 41, struck four more times to finish with five for 49. The scores: At Ferozeshah Kotla ground: Haryana 266 for five in 50 overs (Rahul Tewatia 78 not out, Nitin Saini 67, Rahul Dagar 56 not out, Chaitanya Bishnoi 36) bt Baroda 181 in 40.1 overs (Kedar Devdhar 81, Krunal Pandya 43, Ashish Hooda three for 32, Sanjay Pahal three for 47, Harshal Patel two for 35) by 85 runs. At Karnail Singh Stadium ground: Vidarbha 273 for nine in 50 overs (Jitesh Sharma 83, Ganesh Satish 73, Siddhesh Wath 35, Apoorv Wankhede 32, Pritam Das three for 52) bt Assam 169 in 41.1 overs (Rishav Das 57, Kunal Saikia 36, Abhishek Chourasia six for 37) by 104 runs. At Air Force ground, Palam: Odisha 240 in 49.5 overs (Govind Poddar 120, Biplab Samantaray 48, Siddharth Kaul three for 32) bt Punjab 171 in 30 overs (Anmolpreet Singh 58, Shubman Gill 41, Dhiraj Singh five for 49, Rajkishan Patel three for 28) by 69 runs.
matches and an aggregate of 5,443 runs — and did not even spare his son, Ruushil Bhaskar, who played junior cricket for Delhi and Haryana. Delhi selectors had recently sacked Gambhir as Delhi captain. “We have to look ahead,” was how Nikhil Chopra, one of the selectors, had described the decision to appoint 19year-old Rishabh Pant captain of a young team. In a season where emphasis was on blooding youngsters, Delhi failed to qualify for the Ranji Trophy knockout stage but finished winner of the North Zone T20 league. The team was confident of doing well in the Vijay Hazare tournament here, but things did not work out and it finished fourth in the group. Known for his ‘fighting’ instincts, Gambhir had played a stellar role in Delhi winning the Ranji Trophy in 2008. Delhi has not made it to the final since. “Normally we all shake hands at the end of the last match of the season. This is unprecedented, the seniormost player abusing the seniormost person in the dressing room,” said a Delhi veteran.
East Bengal takes on Churchill AMITABHA DAS SHARMA KOLKATA
Leader East Bengal will be looking to make the most of a new-found rhythm in the attack to continue its winning run when it takes on a resurgent Churchill Brothers FC, at the Vidyasagar Stadium in Barasat on Tuesday. Both teams are fresh from a win. East Bengal downed Shillong Lajong FC 2-1, while Churchill Brothers got the better of Mohun Bagan by a similar margin. The 13th-round match is expected to produce an interesting clash as Churchill Brothers tries to make a comeback under its new chief coach Derrick Pereira, who took over midway through the season. This will surely give East Bengal’s English coach Trevor Morgan a lot to think about while arranging his arsenal for the action. East Bengal has an enhanced squad of foreigners with Australian forward Chris Payne joining the attack while Trinidad and Tobago forward Wills Plaza re-joins the squad after a brief injury lay-off. East Bengal needs a win to consolidate its position on top as it (27 points from 12 matches) has only a onepoint lead over second placed Aizawl FC. East Bengal had blanked Churchill 2-0 in the first phase.
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THE HINDU CROSSWORD 11948 1
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11 … rose gardens to odious parks (5) 12 Unprincipled setter's vocal? (6)
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(set by xChequer)
14 Silly reasons to sell, mobs regularly went crazy (4,4,7)
12 13
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FAITH
SUDOKU
Usefulness of Vedic teachings
3 Active interest lost in time (5) 4 Say their panic? (8) 5 Say driver of bull, coaxing exhausted animal (4,4) 6 Drive bull (5)
17 One in anger relaxing to recover (6)
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18 It may signal peace (5)
8 Bond is sexy, mad about itness rating (4,4,5)
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22 Small type of ly (6) 22
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23 Drive back anger right away — excuse me, it's pathetic (8) 24 Heartless about jokes, reportedly wound Mark (8)
■ ACROSS 7 Career in premier security force having shocks (6) 8 Stays away from sons around bedtime (8) 9 Moved by degrees, delighted to keep reading (8) 10 Grassy mound uphill for speaker, at extremely elegant … (6)
CM YK
25 Joke is hard to sanction (6) ■ DOWN 1 Performance being ordinary in every country without leader (9) 2 Sister Curie, old pope's ambassador (6)
13 Tailor set trends for loose itting clothing (4,5) 15 Alter building permits — Minister getting cut for electrical connection (8)
Solution to puzzle 11947 16 Useless to line up a weapon in advance (8) 19 Construction workers about to enter service (6) 20 Bug news agency concealed (5) 21 Good, ready to eat beef (5)
W I L D C R A B S
A G N G E L E A R L U N T S A S T E A D
C O U I T F H I T E O E P E A R A A B L V E
N S U L T A E O S E S D E P S G H C E R A M M L P A P E R T L N S R I N T S G S D I N A E M P T L E E L A N O I R T E N T L
N T U A R N T I N I G A B E E R L T I N Y
Solution to yesterday’s Sudoku S T N E E R I E T R I E A O N S
The study of the Vedas is the starting point to any spiritual aspirant. One who follows the Vedic teachings is sure to find ways to fulfil many aspirations in this world and in other worlds as well. But the knowledge of the Vedas with respect to these matters is far from useful to one whose aim is attainment of Brahma Jnana, is what the Gita reiterates, pointed out Srimati Rukmini Ramamurthy in a discourse. One who lives in a place where there is only a well or a pond will have to be satisfied with the water that is thus available. But by chance if he comes to know that water is available in plenty elsewhere, it is most unlikely that he would settle down for well water alone for his requirement. By extension, it follows that if one comes to know of the prospect of everlasting bliss that far supersedes all these earthly joys that are after all ephemeral, will he not opt for it? Scriptures try to make an inquiry into the kind of happiness enjoyed by the various classes of beings, whether human or divine. If, for instance, the basic unit of bliss is taken as the earthly happiness enjoyed by one who is young, handsome, learned, healthy, strong of mind, wealthy and has been endowed with all human enjoyments, it is shown that it becomes progressively higher in the various grades of divine beings such as gandharvas, devas, Indra, Bruhaspati, Prajapati and so on. They conclude that the supreme state of bliss that the knowledge of Brahman confers is far superior to what is available or thought of as happiness in human terms. It is beyond the grasp of the mind and the senses and is perfect, complete, infinite and absolute. This is attainable to him who is able to transcend his ignorance of the true nature of happiness. ND-ND
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THE HINDU
SPORT 17
NOIDA/DELHI
TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2017
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IN BRIEF
Arsenal facing mission impossible
TV PICKS India vs Australia: 2nd Test, STAR Sports 1, 3 & HD 1, 3, 9.30 a.m. Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh: 1st Test, TEN 3 & TEN 1 HD, 9.45 a.m. Champions League: TEN 1, 2 & TEN 1 HD, 12.30 a.m. (Wednesday)
Bayern will look to kill of the Gunners’ lingering hopes early Reuters London
Sanchez trains after Arsenal bust-up reports LONDON
Arsenal star Alexis Sanchez shook hands with manager Arsene Wenger as he reported for training on Monday following reports of a training-ground bust-up. Sanchez, 28, was reported to have stormed off the training pitch last week before becoming involved in an angry confrontation with his teammates. AFP
Arsenal will have to produce the biggest second leg comeback in a Champions League knockout tie to avoid a seventh successive exit at the last-16 stage when it hosts Bayern Munich on Tuesday. A 5-1 trouncing in Bavaria left the Gunners facing mission impossible for the return leg and confidence is hardly soaring after a 3-1 defeat by Liverpool on Saturday left Arsene Wenger’s team outside the Premier League’s top four. Stranger things have happened, if not in the Champions League where no team has ever recovered from a four-goal deficit in the
Mertesacker admits to tension in Arsenal squad LONDON
Arsenal captain Per Mertesacker has admitted to tension in the dressing room, and said his struggling team has not shown enough fight, on the eve of its Champions League mission impossible against Bayern Munich. Mertesacker conceded Arsenal has not been willing to put its bodies on the line. “I think we saw on a lot of occasions that we absolutely weren’t ready for a fight,” Mertesacker told reporters at the club’s training base. AP
Fourth straight win for Indian women BHOPAL
Indian women defeated Belarus 2-1 to register their fourth consecutive victory in the five-match hockey Test series here on Monday. Renuka Yadav put India ahead with a field goal in the sixth minute while Gurjit Kaur successfully converted a penalty corner in the 12th to make it 2-0. Nastassia Syrayezhka reduced the margin with a field goal in the 21st minute. PTI
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE second leg of a knockout tie. To progress Arsenal will have to better the feat of Spain’s Deportivo la Coruna which recovered from a 4-1 loss away to AC Milan in 2004, winning 4-0 at home to reach the semis. The last time a team overcame a four-goal deficit in European competition was Real Madrid in the 1985-86 UEFA Cup — beating Borussia Monchengladbach 4-0 at home after suffering, like Arsenal, a 5-1 defeat in Germany. Arsenal’s capitulation in Munich, together with Premier League losses to Watford, Chelsea and Liver-
pool in its last four Premier League games have stretched the patience of even Wenger’s most loyal disciples to breaking point. While Wenger will hope for a miracle against Bayern, he is probably already looking ahead to next weekend’s FA Cup sixth round clash with fifth-tier Lincoln City. Bayern, on the other hand, is buoyant after a 3-0 win at Cologne extended its Bundesliga lead to seven points. Manager Carlo Ancelotti will not be taking anything for granted. Captain Philipp Lahm said Bayern will look to kill off Arsenal’s lingering hopes early.
Root and Woakes steer England to victory The visitors take an unbeatable 2-0 lead over the Windies Agence France-Presse St. John’s
Joe Root compiled an unbeaten 90 and Chris Woakes 68 not out as England completed a four-wicket victory over the West Indies in the second ODI on Sunday. Responding to the home side’s total of 225 all out off 47.5 overs after it chose to bat, the tourists reached 226 for six off 48.2 overs to take an unbeatable 2-0 lead with the final match to be played in Barbados on Thursday. England, which won the first match at the same venue by the relatively comfortable margin of 45 runs, was cantering towards the target on the back of opening batsman Jason Roy’s belligerent half-century at 108 for two in the 21st over. But then the specialist spinners got the West Indies back into the match, triggering a slide which saw four England
wickets tumbling for 16 runs. Ashley Nurse returned his best-ever figures of three for 34 while Devendra Bishoo
SCOREBOARD
claimed two for 43. However, the seventhwicket pair of Root and Woakes saw England home without too much fuss.
WEST INDIES VS ENGLAND SECOND ODI
West Indies: K. Brathwaite st. Buttler b Moeen Ali 42, E. Lewis c Billings b Finn 8, K. Powell c and b Finn 9, S. Hope c Buttler b Stokes 16, J. Mohammed c Rashid b Plunkett 50, J. Carter c Rashid b Plunkett 39, J. Holder c and b Rashid 15, C. Brathwaite c Billings b Rashid 23, A. Nurse b Plunkett 13, D. Bishoo (not out) 0, S. Gabriel (run out) 1, Extras (b-1, lb-2, w-6): 9; Total (in 47.5 overs) 225. Fall of wickets: 1-11, 2-21, 3-46, 4-118, 5-159, 6-173, 7-199, 8219, 9-224. England bowling: Finn 8-138-2, Woakes 8-1-26-0, Plunkett 7.5-1-32-3, Stokes 5-029-1, Rashid 9-0-53-2, Moeen Ali 10-0-44-1. England: J. Roy c C. Brathwaite
b Nurse 52, S. Billings c Powell b Gabriel 0, J. Root (not out) 90, E. Morgan lbw b Nurse 7, B. Stokes c Hope b Bishoo 1, J. Buttler c Hope b Bishoo 0, Moeen Ali b Nurse 3, C. Woakes (not out) 68, Extras (lb-1, w-4): 5; Total (for six wkts. in 48.2 overs) 226. Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-87, 3108, 4-113, 5-117, 6-124. West Indies bowling: Gabriel 30-17-1, Holder 10-0-46-0, C. Brathwaite 4-0-38-0, Bishoo 10-0-43-2, Nurse 10-0-34-3, Mohammed 4-0-15-0, K. Brathwaite 5.2-0-22-0, Carter 2-0-10-0. Toss: West Indies. Man-of-the-Match: Root England won by four wickets.
Lazio keeps CL hopes alive AGENCIES MILAN
Desperate: Arsenal needs a perfect 90 minutes to overcome Bayern Munich at the Emirates. REUTERS
Bopanna and Paes in Davis Cup team The duo may play together against Uzbekistan Special Correspondent NEW DELHI
Rohan Bopanna and Leander Paes may be compelled to fight on the same side of the court, as the selectors chose a six-member squad for the Asia-Oceania Davis Cup tie against Uzbekistan to be played in Bengaluru from April 7 to 9. The selection committee, with former Davis Cup captain S.P. Misra as the chairman, took the four best singles players available and the two best doubles players. “We have chosen the best possible team, and it is now up to the captain to decide on the four. We will have another discussion 10 days before the tie and announce the four-member squad,’’ said the secretary general of the All India Tennis Association (AITA), Hironmoy Chatterjee, who addressed the me-
dia along with Misra and coach Zeeshan Ali here on Monday. “My decision on the final competing team will be based on their performances over the next three weeks and their fitness levels during the week of the tie,” said Mahesh Bhupathi in a press release, in which he expressed confidence that both the players and the AITA would support him in the best possible way. Saketh Myneni and Sumit Nagal, who had figured in the World Group play-off tie against Spain last September, are still recovering from their injuries and were thus not considered. Myneni pulled out a day before the tie against New Zealand with a foot injury, which forced Vishnu Vardhan to fly from Hyderabad on the morning of the draw, to
partner Paes. Nagal is recovering from a shoulder injury. There has been a lot of bitterness between Bopanna and Paes in recent times, especially from the Rio Olympics when they played together the last time and crashed out in the first round. It was felt that Bhupathi would communicate with the players and get them on the same page, making them pull together for the team’s cause. “Mahesh is going to correct the negativity,’’ stressed Hironmoy Chatterjee. The squad: Ramkumar Ramanathan, Yuki Bhambri, Prajnesh Gunneswaran, Sriram Balaji, Rohan Bopanna and Leander Paes. Captain: Mahesh Bhupathi. Coach: Zeeshan Ali. Junior players: Dhruv Sunish and Nitin Kumar Sinha.
Ciro Immobile scored twice against Bologna in Serie A as Lazio maintained its late push for a Champions League spot. Immobile had been on target in four of his last five matches and he took just nine minutes to open the scoring, heading in Senad Lulic’s cross.
Immobile’s 16th goal Sergej Milinkovic-Savic put in another impressive performance and the 22-yearold set up Lazio’s second with a delightful through ball to release Immobile for his 16th goal of the season. Lazio moved to fourth, four points behind Napoli. In La Liga, former Real Madrid forward Jese Rodriguez scored his first goals since joining Las Palmas on loan from PSG, leading the Gran Canaria club to its first win in five league matches. Jese scored in the seventh and 87th minutes to give the hosts the win. Last-placed Osasuna, which had a pair of first-half goals by forward Kenan Kodro, saw its winless streak extend to 18 games. The results: La Liga: Las Palmas 5 (Jese 7, 87, Livaja 55, Unai Garcia 70-og, Roque Mesa 76) bt Osasuna 2 (Kodro 31, 37); Athletic Bilbao 1 (Raul Garcia 72-pen) bt Malaga 0. Serie A: Bologna 0 lost to Lazio 2 (Immobile 9, 74); Cagliari 1 (Borriello 42) lost to Inter Milan 5 (Perisic 34, 47, Banega 39, Icardi 67-pen, Icardi 89). Bundesliga: Hamburg 1 (Ekdal 77) bt Hertha Berlin 0.
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18 LIFE
NOIDA/DELHI
THE HINDU
TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2017
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Liver transplant pioneer is dead Dr. Thomas Starzl was a leading researcher on anti-rejection drugs Associated Press Pittsburgh
Dr. Thomas Starzl, who pioneered liver transplant surgery in the 1960s and was a leading researcher into antirejection drugs, has died. He was 90. The University of Pittsburgh, speaking on behalf of Dr. Starzl’s family, said the renowned doctor died on Saturday at his home in Pittsburgh. Dr. Starzl performed the world’s first liver transplant in 1963 and the world’s first successful liver transplant in 1967, and pioneered kidney transplantation from cadavers. He later perfected the process by using identical twins and, eventually, other blood relatives as donors. Since Dr. Starzl’s first successful liver transplant, thousands of lives have been saved by similar operations. “We regard him as the father
Adele conirms marriage to partner Associated Press
Medical hero: This image dated November 10, 1989, shows transplant pioneer Dr. Thomas E. Starzl. AP of transplantation,” said Dr. Abhinav Humar, clinical director of the Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute. “His legacy in transplantation is hard to put into words it’s really immense.” Dr. Starzl joined the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (UPMC) in 1981
as professor of surgery, where his studies on the anti-rejection drug cyclosporin transformed transplantation from an experimental procedure into one that gave patients a hope they could survive an otherwise fatal organ failure. It was his development of
cyclosporin in combination with steroids that offered a solution to organ rejection. Until 1991, Dr. Starzl served as chief of transplant services at UPMC, then was named director of the University of Pittsburgh Transplantation Institute, where he continued research on a process he called chimerism, based on a 1992 paper he wrote on the theory that new organs and old bodies “learn” to co-exist without immunosupression drugs. The institute was renamed in his honour in 1996, and he continued as its director. In his 1992 autobiography, The Puzzle People — Memoirs of a Transplant Surgeon, Dr. Starzl said he actually hated performing surgery and was sickened with fear each time he prepared for an operation. “I was striving for liberation my whole life,” he said in an interview.
‘Polluted environment kills 1.7 million children a year’
Los Angeles
Adele has officially announced that she and longtime partner Simon Konecki are married, weeks after hinting at a wedding. Adele casually dropped the news while chatting with the audience at her show in Brisbane, Australia. The couple has a four-year-old son. She was discussing her song, Someone Like You, which describes her feelings following a breakup. She told the crowd that she was “addicted” to the “feeling when you first fall for someone”. She added that she couldn’t go through with those feelings any more because she was “married now”.
WHO report says harmful exposure can start in the womb Reuters LONDON
A quarter of all global deaths of children under five are due to unhealthy or polluted environments, including dirty water and air, secondhand smoke and a lack or adequate hygiene, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday. Such unsanitary and polluted environments can lead to fatal cases of diarrhoea, malaria and pneumonia, the WHO said in a report, and kill 1.7 million children a year. “A polluted environment is a deadly one — particularly for young children,” WHO Director-General Margaret Chan said. “Their developing organs and immune systems, and smaller
Dirty air increases childhood risk of pneumonia as well as a lifelong risk of chronic respiratory diseases. V. SUDERSHAN
bodies and airways, make them especially vulnerable to dirty air and water.” In the report — “Inheriting a sustainable world: Atlas on children's health and the environment” — the WHO said harmful exposure
can start in the womb, and then continue if children are exposed to air pollution and second-hand smoke. This increases childhood risk of pneumonia as well as the lifelong risk of chronic respiratory diseases.
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